Human births and the phase of the moon

N Engl J Med. 1979 Jan 11;300(2):96. doi: 10.1056/nejm197901113000223.

Abstract

PIP: Published studies on the frequency of births as related to the lunar cycle are inconsistent with each other. The distribution of all births during 51 lunar cycles, from March 17, 1974, to April 30, 1978, was analyzed by the authors at the University of California, Los Angeles, Hospital. There were 11.691 live births, of which 8142 were natural, 141 multiple, and 168 stillbirths. In none of the 4 samples was the mean number of births occurring on the date of the full moon above average, showing that the birthrate during the period surveyed did not in any way correlate with the cycle of lunar phases.

Publication types

  • Letter

MeSH terms

  • Astronomical Phenomena
  • Astronomy*
  • Birth Rate*
  • California
  • Delivery, Obstetric*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Periodicity*
  • Pregnancy