The effect of spacing of children on the nutrition and mortality of under-fives
Mudkhedkar, S.N.; Shah, P.M.
Indian Journal of Medical Research 64(7): 953-958
1976
ISSN/ISBN: 0019-5340 PMID: 992835 Document Number: 106338
Study was of a total of 164 families with 263 children under 5 years old, living in Bombay or nearby rural communities. They were in 4 groups of rural or urban dwellers, visiting a health centre and being visited by its staff or not, but there was no significant difference between groups and data are pooled. When the spacing between births of the youngest 2 siblings was 12 months or less, 75% of the older children under 5 years old were moderately or severely malnourished, weighing 70% or less of the Harvard 50th percentile. When the interval was 37 to 48 months, 40% were so; when it was 13 to 24 months, 58.3%; when it was 25 to 36 months, 38.7%. When the interval was over 24 months, the number of children weighing above 70% of the reference was 1.9 times the number when the interval was less. Incidence of malnutrition was least for single children. Infant deaths were 22.2% when the spacing was less than 12 months and 5.1% when it was over 48 months; corresponding neonatal deaths were 11.1 and 7.7%. When there is a high incidence of malnutrition and mortality of children under 5 years, it would be better to emphasise the advantages of spacing of births, rather than the number of children a couple should have. Reversible methods of family limitation should be offered, such as menstrual regulation, rather than permanent methods such as tubectomy or vasectomy. With the improvement in child health and survival, parents would then be motivated to accept a limit to the family.