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Background: The level of perinatal mortality in Bangladesh is one of the highest in the world. Certain childbearing practices and low use of antenatal care make Bangladeshi women vulnerable to adverse birth outcomes. Women in Bangladesh also remain considerably subordinate to men in almost all aspects of their lives, from education and paid work to healthcare utilisation. Lack of these opportunities contributes to the low status of women within family and society, and to generally poor health outcomes for women and their children. Objective: This study investigates the risk factors of perinatal deaths in light of the low level of women's autonomy, and the relative role of childbearing practices and antenatal care in influencing the relationship between autonomy and perinatal deaths. Methods: The relevant data was extracted from the 2014 Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey. Causal mediation analysis was undertaken to investigate the effects of mediators on the associations between women's autonomy and perinatal deaths. Results: The risk of perinatal deaths was greater by about 44% and 39% respectively for high-risk maternal age and birth interval. Those who had received sufficient antenatal care had a much lower risk of perinatal deaths compared to those who had not received sufficient care. No significant direct relationship between women's autonomy and perinatal deaths was evident. However, the influence of women's autonomy was mediated through maternal age, birth interval and antenatal care, and the average amount of mediation was approximately 9.7%, 25.6% and 9.9% respectively. Conclusions: In Bangladesh, although women's autonomy did not exert any significant direct influence on perinatal deaths, the influence was transmitted through the pathways of childbearing practices and use of antenatal care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Short birth spacing is reported to have health consequences for both mother and child. This study aims to examine the effect of short birth interval on nutritional outcomes of under-five children in Bangladesh. Methods: We used data from the latest five rounds of successive Bangladesh Demographic and Health Surveys conducted during 2004 to 2017-18. Short birth interval is defined as birth spacing of < 24 months between two subsequent live births. The outcomes of interest are stunting and underweight. Both bivariate and multivariate statistical analyses were employed. Results of the multivariate analysis are shown by odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Data were analyzed by Stata 15/IC. Results: A total of 16,100 under-five children of second and higher - order births were included for analysis. Of the children, 12% were born at a space of < 24 months, and 19% were born with a space of 24 - 35 months. The proportion of children with short birth interval was found decreasing over successive surveys. Results of the logistic regression analysis show that compared to the birth interval of 24 - 35 and 36 - 59 months, children born to women with birth interval < 24 months were significantly (P < 0.001) at higher risk of being stunted and underweight. Conclusions: Short birth interval has significant impact on childhood stunting and underweight. It remains a major factor resulting in childhood malnutrition in Bangladesh. Research to explore causal pathways and programs to lengthen space between inter-pregnancy should be intensified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]