This study offers a simultaneous equations model of the birth process with seven endogenous variables: Four birth inputs (maternal smoking, maternal drinking, first trimester prenatal care, and maternal weight gain) and three birth outputs (gestational age, birth length, and birth weight). The...

The goal of this study is to address directly the predictive value of birth inputs and outputs, particularly birth weight, for measures of early childhood development in a simultaneous equations modeling framework. Strikingly, birth outputs have virtually no structural/casual effects on early...