INFANT AND CHILD-MORTALITY IN BANGLADESH - AGE-SPECIFIC EFFECTS OF PREVIOUS CHILDS DEATH

This study examines whether mortality of two adjacent siblings in fami lies is age-specific and is modified by the MCH-FP programme and ferti lity and mortality declines in Matlab, Bangladesh, using data for sing leton births during 1977-78, 1985-86 and 1989-90 in the treatment (MCH -FP) and comparison areas. Logistic regression was used to estimate th e net effects of survival status of elder siblings on mortality of you nger siblings in the neonatal, postneonatal and toddler periods, contr olling for birth order, previous birth interval, maternal age, educati on and religion, household possession of valuable items and sex of the child. Odds of neonatal and postneonatal deaths of younger siblings w ere found to be higher if the elder sibling had died at the same age t han if the sibling had survived infancy. Toddler mortality was lower i f the elder sibling had died in infancy. The association between two s iblings' mortality risks did not decline over time in either area. The results suggest that a family history of child deaths by age is impor tant to identify when subsequent infants would be at a higher risk of dying.