Schizophrenia Daily News Blog

Babies born in winter are bigger, brighter

The following news story out of The Independent in the UK is interesting - not least of all because it conflicts with a lot of studies that link birth of children during winter months as higher in risk for schizophrenia. They suggest (in this coverage of a new Harvard University study) that Babies born in winter are bigger, brighter and more successful. Obviously, more research is needed.

The Independent states:

For centuries astrologers have sworn that the time of year a baby is born plots the course its life will take. Now extensive research conducted over a seven-year period appears to prove that babies born in the winter are more likely to grow into big, bright and successful adults than their summer counterparts.

The study, which will be published this week, was led by scientists at Harvard University and monitored the development of 21,000 boys and girls worldwide. It shows that there were large seasonal variations when it came to weight, length, height, head size and mental ability.

Researchers believe that the effects on the pregnant mother and the growing foetus of seasonal variations in diet, hormones, temperature, exposure to sunlight and viruses and other infections may influence a baby's characteristics.

See full story: Babies born in winter are bigger, brighter and more successful