Table 1.

Comparison of categorical socio-demographic characteristics by H. pylori status

Variable (n = 192)	H. pylori positive	H. pylori negative	P value
Parity
Primigravidae	70	48
Secundigravidae	40	34	0.473*
Marital status
Married	94	74
Single	12	7
Widowed/Divorced	4	1	0.445*
Maternal pre-pregnancy BMI (kg/m2)
Underweight (<18.5)	15	13
Normal weight (18.5–24.9)	80	63
Overweight (25.0–29.9)	15	6	0.372*
Sex of the baby
Female	56	44
Male	54	38	0.706
Birth weight (grams)a
<2500	22	4
≥2500	87	78	0.002*
Maternal pre-pregnancy height (cm)
<156	42	31
≥156	68	51	0.958*
Maternal age (years)
<21	70	56
≥21	40	26	0.502*
Occupation	79	65
House wife
Peasant	1	9
Employee	23	15
Student	7	2	0.561*
Smoking
Yes	0	2
No	110	80	0.100*
Building type
Permanent	108	82
Temporary	2	0	0.518*
Alcohol
Yes	5	5
No	105	77	0.632*
Water source
Tap	87	64
Borehole	6	5
Protected well	17	11
Unprotected well	0	1
Tank (harvested rain water)	0	1	0.490*
Education level
Low (No education to primary 7)	22	20
Medium (Secondary level)	72	52
High (tertiary education)	16	10	0.114*
Household monthly income ($)
Low income (<100)	56	38
Medium income (101–250)	46	41
High income (>250)	8	3	0.374*

^* P valve for the Pearson chi-square for the difference between H. pylori positive and H. pylori negative; n is number, ^aone still birth was not weighed