One hundred and six women giving birth in a rural hospital in Northern India were compared with 100 women delivering in a tertiary care urban hospital located in an adjacent state. The women in the rural hospital were younger and more likely to be multiparous. Their antenatal course was characterized by fewer antenatal check-ups, significantly lower haemoglobin values, but equal weight gain during pregnancy. They were more likely to have a spontaneous vaginal delivery, and less likely to undergo caesarean section and episiotomy. Neonatal birth weights were lower in the rural group; other indices of neonatal well-being were comparable.
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