Working Paper: NBER ID: w20368
Authors: Janet Currie; Hannes Schwandt
Abstract: The events of 9/11 released a million tons of toxic dust into lower Manhattan, an unparalleled environmental disaster. It is puzzling then that the literature has shown little effect of fetal exposure to the dust. However, inference is complicated by pre-existing differences between the affected mothers and other NYC mothers as well as heterogeneity in effects on boys and girls. Using all births in utero on 9/11 in NYC and comparing them to their siblings, we show that residence in the affected area increased prematurity, low birth weight, and admission to the NICU after birth, especially for boys.
Keywords: 911 dust cloud; pregnancy outcomes; prematurity; low birth weight; NICU admissions
JEL Codes: I1
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| exposure to the 911 dust cloud (I19) | adverse birth outcomes (J13) |
| exposure to the 911 dust cloud (I19) | prematurity (J13) |
| exposure to the 911 dust cloud (I19) | low birth weight (J13) |
| exposure to the 911 dust cloud (I19) | NICU admissions (J13) |
| first trimester exposure to the 911 dust cloud (I19) | adverse birth outcomes (J13) |