Maternal Influence on Birth Outcomes and Intergenerational Advantage
研究母亲禀赋和投资对生出小于胎龄儿的影响，分解为直接生物效应和通过行为中介的选择效应，发现母亲认知、人格和体能的重要性，并指出教育和吸烟对不同体质母亲的影响有差异。
We analyze the role of maternal endowments and investments in delivering small for gestational age babies. We estimate the effect of maternal endowments on birth outcomes and decompose it into a direct, “biological” effect and a “choice” effect mediated by maternal behaviors. We estimate the causal effects of maternal education and prenatal smoking and whether women with different traits have different returns. The findings highlight the importance of maternal cognition, personality traits, and physical fitness in influencing birth outcomes, with significant heterogeneity in the effects of education and smoking across different maternal physical traits, suggesting targeted prenatal interventions for less healthy women.