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BackgroundThe U.N. health and well-being goals for 2030 focus on maternal and child health outcomes, among others. Challenges to meeting those goals vary widely throughout Nepal owing to the range of sociocultural factors, infrastructural limitations, physical geography and altitudes. This article explores sociocultural and biological influences on fertility and child survival among ethnically Tibetan women in Nepal.MethodsThis is a cross sectional study of 430 women, age 46-86 years old, citizens of Nepal and native residents above 3500m in Mustang District, who provided interview and physiological data. Univariate Poisson regression analyses selected significant variables to include in multivariate Poisson regressions investigating the number of pregnancies, livebirths, child survival and death outcomes.ResultsEarlier age at first pregnancy, later age at last pregnancy, and miscarriages associated with more pregnancies. Miscarriages and stillbirths associated with fewer livebirths. Higher maternal BMI and FEV6 associated with fewer children dying before age 15. Marital characteristics (status, type, continuity), contraceptive use, relative wealth, and education influenced these covariates.ConclusionsLow maternal pulmonary function and nutritional status predict poorer child survival in Upper Mustang. Addressing poor lung function and nutrition may improve reproductive outcomes among ethnically Tibetan women living at high altitude.

Original publication

DOI

10.33314/jnhrc.v19i04.3273

Type

Journal

Journal of Nepal Health Research Council

Publication Date

03/2022

Volume

19

Pages

748 - 753

Addresses

Department of UH Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio.

Keywords

Humans, Abortion, Spontaneous, Reproductive History, Cross-Sectional Studies, Pregnancy, Adolescent, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Middle Aged, Child, Nepal, Tibet, Female