Researchers who studied babies in Scotland believe cuts to benefits and services are linked to rise. Linking the lack of nutrition in mothers to UK’s austerity measures.

To investigate the impact of such policies in the UK researchers at the University of Glasgow and Public Health Scotland analysed records for almost 2.3 million babies born in Scotland between 1981 and 2019.

UK austerity policies increased rate of premature

The introduction of UK austerity policies has been associated with a striking increase in the number of babies in Scotland being born smaller or earlier than expected, data suggests.

Researchers believe cuts to social security benefits and services are key to understanding these trends, which have hit families living in the poorest neighbourhoods the hardest. 

The link between maternal stress and adverse birth outcomes

The link between maternal stress and adverse birth outcomes is well established. For instance, various studies have identified an increase in prematurity and low birth weight babies after terror attacks, or due to stressful employment.

High levels of cortisol, one of the stress hormones, can impair the function of the placenta and foetal growth, while stressed mothers may also consume more tobacco or alcohol, which are linked to restricted growth and prematurity.

Dr David Walsh, a senior lecturer in health inequalities at the University of Glasgow, led the study.

UK austerity policies increased rate of low birth weight babies in England

Although the study focused on Scotland, Walsh added: “Given that post-austerity poverty rates are actually fairly considerably higher in England, the expectation is that we will have seen similar trends there.”

Studies in several European countries, including Portugal and Greece, have also linked the introduction of austerity measures and household poverty to worsening birth outcomes.

As this report highlights, cutting social security has weakened our society and put children at risk.