Suchergebnisse

SummaryHalf the women in this study had resumed menses by the 6th month post-partum. Concurrent with these findings, less than 50% were still breast-feeding at the 6th month post-partum. The majority of these breast-feeding women were partially breast-feeding. By the 6th post-partum month more than 90% of the women had resumed intercourse and slightly less than half were using contraceptives. Nevertheless, the cross-sectional data indicate that only 25% of the women were using contraceptives at 12 months post-partum. These results show a much shorter period of lactational amenorrhoea than has been reported for a rural area of Bangladesh.

SummaryIn rural Bangladesh, early fetal wastage and stillbirth are higher among pregnancy orders one and six or higher than among orders two and three. The increased risk is particularly apparent among those pregnancies following two or more previous fetal deaths. Woman in the higher pregnancy orders who have not experienced previous fetal deaths or only one fetal death have only a slight increase in the risk of fetal death compared to women in pregnancy orders two and three. The virtual absence of obstetric care and the high maternal mortality in this Bengali population may allow only woman without reproductive impairmetns to reach the higher pregnancy orders.

SummaryThe timing of births and marriages in Vietnam appears to have some statistically significant relationships with the signs of the Chinese and Vietnamese astrological calendars. Years considered to be good years have significantly more births and marriages than years that are not considered as desirable. Births and marriages also have some significant variations with seasons of the year. Infant deaths do not appear to have any significant relationships with the astrological signs although infant mortality has some significant relationships with seasons of the year. The findings indicate that there is some purposeful planning for marriages and births to coincide with optimal times defined in the astrological calendars.

SummaryData from the 4172 women aged 15–49 interviewed in the 1988 Vietnamese Demographic and Health Survey were used to examine age at marriage, marriage to first birth intervals and age at first birth. Differences between urban and rural areas, northern and southern provinces and by education of the women were analysed.The majority of the women had their first birth before age 20, but women with secondary education had a significantly higher age at first birth than those with little or no education, and women from the north had a significantly higher age at first birth than women from the south. Rural women and those with little or no education married at significantly younger ages than urban women and those with secondary education; these education effects were confirmed in a rural subsample of women. Women from rural areas and from the north had significantly shorter marriage to first birth intervals than urban women and those from the south, but there were no significant effects related to education.

SummarySelected determinants of overall infant mortality in Vietnam were examined using data from the 1988 Vietnam Demographic and Health Survey, and factors underlying neonatal and post-neonatal mortality were also compared. Effects of community development characteristics, including health care, were studied by logistic regression analysis in a subsample of rural children from the 1990 Vietnam Accessibility of Contraceptives Survey.Infant neonatal and post-neonatal mortality rates showed comparable distributions by birth order, maternal age, pregnancy intervals, mother's education and urban–rural residence. Rates were highest among first order births, births after an interval of less than 12 months, births to illiterate mothers and to those aged under 21 or over 35 years of age. Logistic regression analysis showed that the most significant predictor of infant mortality was residence in a province where overall infant mortality was over 40 per 1000 live births. In the rural subsample, availability of public transport was the most persistent community development predictor of infant mortality. Reasons for the low infant mortality rates in Vietnam compared to countries with similar levels of economic development are discussed.