Childhood Health and Prenatal Exposure to Seasonal Food Scarcity in Ethiopia∗

This paper analyzes the impact of prenatal exposure to seasonal food scarcity on childhood health in Ethiopia. I construct a novel measure of seasonal exposure based on reported months of relative food scarcity in the local community. I find that exposure has a significant negative impact on height by age five that strengthens by age eight. Effects decrease with household wealth and maternal education and are stronger during the first trimester of gestation. In contrast to height, effects on child body mass are only identified closer to birth and when exposure is concentrated in the second trimester. Overall, results highlight that in addition to the effects of severe famine conditions identified in many studies, more typical variation in prenatal food availability can have lasting impacts on health in the developing world. JEL classification: I12, O13, O15