Title: Nutrition and health practices among the rural women--a case study of Uttar Pradesh, India.

POPLINE Document Number: 016944

Author(s):

Khan ME
Dastidar SK
Singh R

Source citation:

New Delhi, India, Operations Research Group, 1981. 27 p. (Working Paper No. 31)

Abstract:

The present paper highlights the health and nutritional status of rural women in the western part of Uttar Pradesh. It is observed that the women as such are trapped in a vicious cycle of early marriage, frequent pregnancies, prolonged and intensive breastfeeding practices with improper nutritional support, and inadequate health care. The results indicate that the early age at marriage (about 14 years) among girls is continued because of traditional values, fear of sexual exploitation, and poverty. The paper also shows that 85% of the women have never practiced any family planning and as a consequence, they have too many pregnancies with short intervals between them (an average of 23-26 months). During pregnancy, they take no supplementary food and work until labor begins. On the average, a woman with a pregnancy in the 8th month must work for 14 hours/day. Malnutrition is quite common among pregnant and lactating women who generally breastfeed for more than 20 months. More than 85% of the deliveries are attended by untrained indigenous dais and generally no pre- or postnatal care is sought. Governmental health services are beyond their reach and they depend mainly on private doctors or home medicine during an illness. Women who fall sick more often than males generally hide their problems because of such reasons as protecting the husband from worry, saving money, shyness, and preventing any inconvenience in the household due to illness. (author's modified)

Keywords:

India
Rural Population
Maternal Nutrition
Nutrition
Marriage Age
Maternal Mortality
Mortality
Population Dynamics
Socioeconomic Factors
Birth Intervals
Pregnancy
Labor Force
Maternal Health Services
Health Services
Childbirth
Health
Breastfeeding
Asia, Southern
Asia
Developing Countries
Population Characteristics
Demographic Factors
Population
Marriage Patterns
Marriage
Nuptiality
Economic Factors
Fertility Measurements
Fertility
Reproduction
Human Resources
Maternal-Child Health Services
Primary Health Care
Delivery of Health Care
Pregnancy Outcomes
Infant Nutrition