Epidemiological and Biocultural Correlates of Pregnancy- Related Sickness in Rural Bangladesh

This project investigates epidemiological, hormonal, demographic, and cultural variables pertaining to pregnancy-related sickness in rural Bangladeshi women. Data were collected from a prospective reproductive survey of 708 women in Bangladesh in 1993. Twice weekly interviews and urine specimens collected across gestation from 203 pregnant women will be used to 1) examine the prevalence, maternal age pattern, and gestational timing of pregnancy-related sickness: 2) determine the relationship between hormone profiles (estrogen, progesterone, and human chorionic gonadotropin) and the presence/absence and gestational timing of pregnancy-related sickness: and 3) determine the relationship of pregnancy outcome (live birth vs. miscarriage) with pregnancy-related sickness, while simultaneously controlling for the effects of maternal age, hormone profiles, and parity. Immunoassays will be used to quantify hormonal concentrations across gestation. Descriptive statistics and event history analysis will be used to examine the relationships among pregnancy-related sickness and the variables discussed above. This work will be used to evaluate hypotheses on the etiologic, ecological and evolutionary bases of pregnancy-related sickness.