Table 1.
Clinical characteristics of the geophagous and control women
| Characteristics | Geophagy group n (%) or mean ± SD | Control group n (%) or mean ± SD | P value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age (years) | 26 ± 7.3 | 27 ± 6.4 | 0.42* |
| < 20 (n [%]) | 22 (22.5%) | 11 (14.5%) | |
| 20–29 (n [%]) | 44 (45%) | 38 (51%) | |
| > 30 (n [%]) | 32 (32.5%) | 26 (34.5%) | |
| Number of previous pregnancies | |||
| 0 (n [%]) | 19 (19.5%) | 11 (14.5%) | 0.71* |
| 1–2 (n [%]) | 29 (29.5%) | 23 (30.5%) | |
| ≥ 3 (n [%]) | 50 (51%) | 41 (55%) | |
| Number of days between last delivery and current pregnancy | 867 ± 948 | 866 ± 867 | 0.99* |
| Number of closely spaced pregnancies (difference < 365 days) | 13 (13%) | 17 (24%) | 0.45* |
| Timing of first assessment (weeks of amenorrhea) | 28 ± 7 | 19 ± 10 | < 0.001* |
| Timing of inclusion (weeks of amenorrhea) | 31 ± 6 | 29 ± 7 | 0.044* |
| Access to tap water | 38 (53.5%) | 30 (55%) | < 0.50* |
| Consumption of beverages from metal cans | |||
| Never | 24 (37.5%) | 12 (24%) | 0.43* |
| Monthly | 4 (6%) | 7 (14%) | |
| Weekly | 20 (31.5%) | 21 (42%) | |
| Daily | 16 (25%) | 10 (20%) | |
*
Probability value for Pearson's χ2 test.