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In-utero social interaction of twins

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  • Heinesen, E.
  • Imai, S.
  • Maruyama, S.

Abstract

We model pre-birth twins' competition for maternal resources inside the womb. When the innate endowment affects both birth weight and the post-birth outcome directly, pre-natal social interaction leads to bias in thestandard twin fixed-effects estimator. We propose a test of social interaction that is based on data on triplets, and find some evidence for social interaction. We then use an instrumental-variable estimation strategy that recovers consistently the returns to birth weight. Our estimation results indicate that the returns to birth weight are closer to the sibling-based estimates than the twin fixed-effects estimates reported in the previous literature.

Suggested Citation

  • Heinesen, E. & Imai, S. & Maruyama, S., 2015. "In-utero social interaction of twins," Health, Econometrics and Data Group (HEDG) Working Papers 15/18, HEDG, c/o Department of Economics, University of York.
    • Handle: RePEc:yor:hectdg:15/18
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Miller, Paul & Mulvey, Charles & Martin, Nick, 2005. "Birth weight and schooling and earnings: estimates from a sample of twins," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 86(3), pages 387-392, March.
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    3. Philip Oreopoulos & Mark Stabile & Randy Walld & Leslie L. Roos, 2008. "Short-, Medium-, and Long-Term Consequences of Poor Infant Health: An Analysis Using Siblings and Twins," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 43(1).
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    6. Jere R. Behrman & Mark R. Rosenzweig, 2004. "Returns to Birthweight," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 86(2), pages 586-601, May.
    7. Dalton Conley & Kate Strully & Neil G. Bennett, 2003. "A Pound of Flesh or Just Proxy? Using Twin Differences to Estimate the Effect of Birth Weight on Life Chances," NBER Working Papers 9901, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    8. Case, Anne & Fertig, Angela & Paxson, Christina, 2005. "The lasting impact of childhood health and circumstance," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 24(2), pages 365-389, March.
    9. Bryan S. Graham, 2008. "Identifying Social Interactions Through Conditional Variance Restrictions," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 76(3), pages 643-660, May.
    10. James J. Heckman & Hidehiko Ichimura & Petra E. Todd, 1997. "Matching As An Econometric Evaluation Estimator: Evidence from Evaluating a Job Training Programme," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 64(4), pages 605-654.
    11. Conley, Dalton & Strully, Kate W. & Bennett, Neil G., 2006. "Twin differences in birth weight: The effects of genotype and prenatal environment on neonatal and post-neonatal mortality," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 4(2), pages 151-183, June.
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    1. Maruyama, Shiko & Heinesen, Eskil, 2020. "Another look at returns to birthweight," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 70(C).

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