Abstract
Background and Objectives:India, the second most populous country in the world, has two-thirds of its population living in rural areas. Rural women in developing countries like India have worse access to healthcare compared to their urban counterparts. We examined the association between place of residence and various pregnancy and birth outcomes among Indian women.Methods:We analyzed data from the 2015-2016 India Demographic and Health Survey (DHS). Socio-demographic and reproductive health-related information were obtained from Indian women of reproductive age. We calculated the prevalence of selected pregnancy and birth outcomes among the study participants. We conducted adjusted survey log binomial regression to determine the level of association between place of residence and various pregnancy and birth outcomes.Results:About 66.4% of the survey responders resided in villages. When adjusted for covariates, rural women had increased likelihood of experiencing miscarriage, stillbirth, early neonatal, late neonatal and infant mortality as compared to urban women. Urban women had 22% higher likelihood (PR = 1.22, 95% CI=1.10-1.35) of having an abortion as compared to rural dwellers.Conclusion and Global Health Implications:Despite India’s extensive efforts to improve maternal and reproductive health, wide geographical disparities exist between its urban and rural population. Interventions at various socio-ecologic and cultural levels, along with improved health literacy, access to improved health care and sanitation need attention when formulating and implementing policies and programs for equitable progress towards improved maternal and reproductive health.
Highlights
IntroductionThe home to more than a sixth of the world’s population, is one of the most culturally, religiously and ethnically diverse nations with two-thirds of the country’s population residing in villages
Many studies have been conducted in the recent past to show the risks of adverse pregnancy outcomes among women in rural India,6,7 the existing literature on the impact of place of residence on various types of pregnancy and birth outcomes is very limited.We postulate that there is a varied effect of the place of residence on the different types of pregnancy and birth outcomes; and that overall, rural Indian women will have worse pregnancy and birth outcomes compared to their urban counterparts
We hypothesize that there will be a contrast in the different types of pregnancy and birth outcomes like miscarriage, abortion, stillbirth, early-neonatal, late-neonatal, post-neonatal and infant mortality between rural and urban Indian women
Summary
The home to more than a sixth of the world’s population, is one of the most culturally, religiously and ethnically diverse nations with two-thirds of the country’s population residing in villages.. The home to more than a sixth of the world’s population, is one of the most culturally, religiously and ethnically diverse nations with two-thirds of the country’s population residing in villages.1 This number has decreased over the decades but still a vast majority continues to live in the rural areas. Inequities in health are the unequal and the unfair distribution of healthcare due to unfair or inadequate social arrangements.. Rural women in developing countries like India have worse access to healthcare compared to their urban counterparts.We examined the association between place of residence and various pregnancy and birth outcomes among Indian women
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