A new study found that most pregnant women would prefer giving birth between the months of June and September than between November and March. Scientists believe factors such as seasonal benefits and work convenience helped instigate the rising trend.
During a presentation at the 2016 Royal Economic Society Conference in Brighton, Dr. Climent Quintana-Domeque from the University of Oxford revealed that more babies have been born in the summer than in winter during these past couple of years. He ascertained that the figures weren't coincidental, as per Daily Mail.
"For the first time, our research documents that season of birth is actually a planned decision," Quintana-Domeque told the audience. "Mothers have a clear desire to target the 'good' seasons of birth of spring and summer, and often manage to do so."
In the US, where the study got most of its data, women are 8 percent more likely to give birth in summer than in winter. The cold months can be very extreme in North America, causing newborns to be at greater risk for low birth weight and food allergies.
Boston scientists explained to BBC News that the phenomenon is due to babies receiving less sunlight in winter than in summer. Infants need the exposure as vitamin D is important for healthy immune system development.
The recent Oxford study also discovered that women heavily take into account their jobs when planning for their pregnancy. Those who work in the education sector overwhelmingly preferred giving birth in summer due to milder workloads and longer holidays.
"The effects of season of birth on newborn and adult socioeconomic outcomes have been widely documented across disciplines," Quintana-Domeque concluded. "A clear and consistent pattern of 'good' and 'bad' seasons has emerged."
Statistic Brain indicated that over 4 million babies are born annually in the US, with August having the most births at roughly 360,000 per year. September is the close second, followed by July and October.
