Dealing with a baby in the sweltering heat of summer can prove quite a challenge for parents.
But a study from Cambridge University has found an advantage to babies being born in the hotter months. According to the findings they are more likely to be heavier at birth, taller as adults and healthier overall.
The study which involved half a million people and was published in the journal Heliyon further founds that girls born in the summer started puberty later. This is said to be an indication of better health in adult life.
Dr John Perry, the lead author and a senior investigating scientist said, “This is the first time puberty timing has been robustly linked to seasonality. We were surprised, and pleased, to see how similar the patterns were on birth weight and puberty timing.
“Our results show that birth month has a measurable effect on development and health, but more work is needed to understand the mechanisms behind this effect," he continued.
Alternatively, babies born in the winter months were generally lighter at birth, shorter at adults and went through puberty earlier.
Researchers explained that the environment in the womb leads to differences in early life, including before birth, and development throughout childhood and into adulthood. They believe that the higher vitamin D exposure in the second trimester of pregnancy could explain the effect.
During which season did you give birth?
TAP on the image below and scroll through the gallery for 46 baby names inspired by Summer...
