Still Births among Indian Women: In Search of an Explanation beyond Socio-Economic Characteristics

Udaya S Mishra, Centre for Development Studies
Mala Ramanathan, Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology
William Joe, Delhi University Enclave

This paper describes an examination of women’s experiences of stillbirths in India, addressing the question of the role of socioeconomic status, gender inequality, and relationship factors. The study uses the National Family Health Survey-3 (NFHS-3) India data, which is equivalent to the Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) in other countries. The results suggest that women’s experience of physical and sexual violence within their relationships has an impact on their pregnancy outcomes. Summary results indicate relationship violence was associated with a 1.33 times greater likelihood of pregnancy termination compared to live birth, and a 1.42 greater likelihood of stillbirth compared to pregnancy termination.