Reports
Discussion Papers
No.556 Malaria Infection and Fetal Growth during the War: Evidence from Liberia
by KUDO Yuya
February 2016
ABSTRACT
This
study
investigates
whether
the
Liberian
civil
war
increased
infant
mortality
by
exposing
pregnant
women
to
a
high
risk
of
malaria
infection,
thus
retarding
fetal
development.
I
find
that
the
war-induced,
one-percent
increase
in
maternal
infection
risk
resulted
in
a
0.44
percent
increase
in
one-year
mortality.
This
mortality
effect
gradually
increased
following
childbirth
as
maternal
passive
immunity
waned.
The
consequences
were
pronounced
for
infants
conceived
in
rainy
seasons
by
young
mothers
residing
in
rural,
battle-intensive
areas,
with
no
gender
difference
detected.
I
also
provide
evidence
suggesting
the
wartime
culling
of
the
weakest
infants
associated
with
maternal
malaria
infection.
Keywords:
Armed
conflict,
fetal
development,
infant
mortality,
malaria
in
pregnancy
JEL
classification:
I15
Please note that discussion papers are works in various stages of progress and most have not been edited and proofread and may contain errors of fact or judgment. Revised versions of these papers may subsequently appear in more formal publication series. The views expressed in this publication are those of the author(s). The IDE does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included and accepts no responsibility for any consequences arising from its use.