Pregnancy wastage in rural Varanasi: relationship with maternal nutrition and sociodemographic characteristics.
OBJECTIVE
To study the relationship between pregnancy wastage and matrnal undernutrition and other sociodemographic factors in rural Indian women.


METHODS
Rural community of Varanasi.


METHODS
Longitudinal observation.


METHODS
In 49 villages during 1988-92, 8111 pregnancies were registered to observe for wastage. The pregnancy outcome was correlated with various factors.


RESULTS
There were 1321 abortions and 141 still births. Women's income < Rs. 250 per month, education < 10th class and protein intake < 50 g/day had significantly higher relative risks (RR) (4.1, 2.9 and 2.8, respectively) for abortions. Poor maternal nutrition was in additional important risk factor, for still births (RR 5.1 and 4.2 for maternal weight and height, respectively). A pregnancy interval over 2 years reduced both.


CONCLUSIONS
Low socioeconomic status, chronic undernutrition and illiteracy in rural India are associated with high pregnancy wastage.
Agarwal
D K
DK
Department of Pediatrics, Institute of Medical Sciences, Varanasi, India.
Agarwal
A
A
Singh
M
M
Satya
K
K
Agarwal
S
S
Agarwal
K N
KN
D000022:Abortion, Spontaneous / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005313:Fetal Death / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009748:Nutrition Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D009752:Nutritional Status; D011203:Poverty / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012423:Rural Health