Effects of poverty on pregnant women

To estimate the effects of low maternal education, malnutrition, anemia, pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes, depression, domestic violence on pregnancy outcome. Hospital based cross sectional study done in obstetrics and gynecology department of a tertiary care teaching hospital from November 2010 to April 2011. Five hundred married women between 15-45 years of age attending the obstetric clinic for any problem or were admitted in the obstetrics ward were interviewed and data entered in a questionnaire. Apart from basic demographic information, their educational level, nutritional status, anemia, history of eclampsia, diabetes, depression and domestic violence were recorded. Socioeconomic groupings was done on the basis of monthly income i.e. monthly income less than Rs. 6000 (lower), 6000-12000 (middle) and more than Rs. 12000 (upper). For the ease of analysis, the study population was divided into three socioeconomic groups. Majority (62.4%) were in the lower socioeconomic bracket while 34.6% were in the middle and only 3% were in the upper strata. In the lower socioeconomic group 62% women were uneducated, only 25.3% women had regular antenatal care, and only 80% could afford balanced diet once in two weeks. Almost 50% were anemic, 13.1% were under weight, 12.1% had low birth weight babies and 3.2% had still births. Violence was reported by 17%. In the high socioeconomic group only 13% women were uneducated and all parameters were 50% better than those in the lower socioeconomic group with 53.3% women having regular antenatal care, 40% taking balanced diet once in two weeks, 6.7% being under weight and 6.7% having low birth weight babies. The frequency of anemia was slightly less (40%) when compared with the lower socioeconomic group. Violence was reported by 7%. Mode of delivery was a cesarean section in 26.4% with 13.4% ending up in wound infection. Poverty is a key hindrance to women's wellbeing especially during pregnancy resulting in malnutrition, anemia, low birth babies or fetal loss. Poverty alleviation and nutritional support programs should be aimed for women of reproductive age and packaged in the MNCH program.