UK austerity policies ‘increased rate of premature and low birth weight babies’

The study suggests that cuts to benefits and services is driving the trend of babies in Scotland being born smaller or earlier than expected. Photograph: Nenov/Getty Images

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.