Table 1.
Characteristics of the study samples: Comparison of institutional versus home births
| Characteristic | Institutional Birth (n = 39, 40 %) | Home Birth (n = 57, 60 %) | P-Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age, years, mean (SD) | 24 (6) | 25 (4) | 0.61 |
| Distance from district hospital, hours, median (IQR) | 2 (1, 2.9) | 2 (1.5, 2) | 0.33 |
| Monthly household income, Nepali Rupees, median (IQR) | 5000 (3000, 10000) | 200 (0, 3250) | 0.02 |
| Land, Ropania, median (IQR) | 3 (1, 7.5) | 5 (2, 12) | 0.06 |
| Caste, number (%) | |||
| Dalit | 15 (37) | 26 (46) | 0.37 |
| Literacy, number (%) | |||
| Literate | 30 (73) | 28 (49) | 0.02 |
| Parity, number (%) | |||
| Primiparity | 16 (39) | 13 (23) | 0.08 |
| Antenatal care, number (%) | |||
| Adequateb | 30 (73) | 39 (68) | 0.61 |
| Birth decision making, number (%) | |||
| Self alone | 14 (34) | 17 (30) | 0.69 |
| Presence of father of baby, number (%) | |||
| Present | 31 (76) | 30 (53) | 0.02 |
aRopani is a commonly used unit in Nepal to measure land and is equal to 508.72 m2
bDefined as at least 4 antenatal care visits, per Nepali Government guidelines