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The effect of prenatal exposure to Ramadan on human capital: evidence from Turkey

Author

Listed:
  • Gokben Aydilek

    (Gebze Technical University)

  • Deniz Karaoğlan

    (Gebze Technical University)

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the effect of prenatal exposure to certain nutritional disruptions in utero on human capital formation. In order to resolve the endogeneity driven by maternal dietary deficiencies, we use the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, during which observers abstain from eating and drinking entirely from sunrise to sunset, as a natural experiment to assess the effects of fetal malnourishment on educational and labor market outcomes. We compare schooling and employment measures of individuals who are prenatally exposed to Ramadan with those who are not using the 2016 round of the Turkish Family Structure Survey dataset. Our results indicate that men who are exposed to Ramadan in utero in the first or third trimester complete 0.53 fewer years of schooling and are less likely to obtain middle school, high school, and college degrees. These effects are stronger when Ramadan coincides with summer.

Suggested Citation

  • Gokben Aydilek & Deniz Karaoğlan, 2024. "The effect of prenatal exposure to Ramadan on human capital: evidence from Turkey," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 37(3), pages 1-35, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:jopoec:v:37:y:2024:i:3:d:10.1007_s00148-024-01042-7
    DOI: 10.1007/s00148-024-01042-7
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Prenatal exposure; Pregnancy; Ramadan; Fetal origins; Education; Human capital; Natural experiment; Multiple hypothesis testing;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I20 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - General
    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior
    • I15 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Economic Development
    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • O53 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Asia including Middle East

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