Table 1 Characteristics of study participants in Sirajdikhan and Pabna upazilas, Bangladesh
|  | Sirajdikhan (N = 879) | Pabna (N = 727) | All mothers (N = 1176) |
|---|---|---|---|
Years of age, visit 1a | |||
|  | 22.8 ± 4.1 | 23.0 ± 4.2 | 22.9 ± 4.2 |
Education levelb | |||
  < Secondary education | 446 (51%) | 335 (46%) | 781 (49%) |
  ≥ Secondary education | 431 (49%) | 389 (54%) | 820 (51%) |
BMI, visit 1 (kg/m2) | |||
|  | 21.0 ± 3.3 | 20.0 ± 2.9 | 21.0 ± 3.0 |
Financial provider’s monthly income (taka) | |||
 Unknown | 9 (1%) | 23 (3%) | 32 (2%) |
 0–2000 | 5 (1%) | 10 (1%) | 15 (1%) |
 2001–3000 | 39 (4%) | 197 (27%) | 236 (15%) |
 3001–4000 | 178 (20%) | 222 (31%) | 400 (25%) |
 4001–5000 | 328 (37%) | 167 (23%) | 495 (31%) |
 5000–6000 | 190 (22%) | 63 (9%) | 253 (16%) |
  > 6000 | 129 (15%) | 44 (6%) | 173 (11%) |
Gestational weeks, visit 1 | |||
|  | 11.1 ± 3.1 | 11.4 ± 3.0 | 11 ± 3.0 |
Gestational weeks, visit 2 | |||
|  | 28.6 ± 1.8 | 29.3 ± 1.9 | 28.9 ± 1.9 |
Environmental smoke exposure | |||
 No | 555 (63%) | 370 (51%) | 925 (58%) |
 Yes | 322 (37%) | 356 (49%) | 678 (42%) |
Number of glasses of water drank per day | |||
|  | 7.7 ± 2.3 | 7.7 ± 2.4 | 8 ± 2.0 |
Drinking water arsenic exposure categories | |||
 Quartile 1: ≤0.89 μg/L | 309 (35%) | 92 (13%) | 401 (25%) |
 Quartile 2: 0.89–2 μg/L | 397 (45%) | 24 (3%) | 421 (26%) |
 Quartile 3: 2–33 μg/L | 103 (12%) | 278 (38%) | 381 (24%) |
 Quartile 4: > 33 μg/L | 69 (8%) | 332 (46%) | 401 (25%) |
Drinking water arsenic (μg/L), visit 1 | |||
|  | 12.1 ± 47.4 | 79.5 ± 131 | 42.6 ± 101 |
 Median | 1.4 | 27.0 | 2.0 |
Drinking water arsenic (μg/L), one-month post-partumc | |||
|  | 6.8 ± 32.5 | 78.9 ± 133 | 42.7 ± 103 |
 Median | 1.0 | 26.0 | 1.8 |
Maternal toenail arsenic (μg/g), visit 1 | |||
|  | 2.2 ± 3.2 | 4.8 ± 5.9 | 3.4 ± 4.9 |
 Median | 1.1 | 2.5 | 1.7 |
Maternal toenail arsenic (μg/g), one-month post-partumd | |||
|  | 1.8 ± 3.6 | 3.6 ± 4.2 | 2.7 ± 4.0 |
 Median | 0.7 | 2.0 | 1.2 |
Daily dietary folate intake (μg) | |||
|  | 268 ± 96.7 | 396 ± 103 | 327 ± 118 |
Daily dietary protein intake (g) | |||
|  | 131 ± 47.9 | 219.3 ± 60.0 | 172 ± 69.6 |
Daily energy intake (kcal) | |||
|  | 3195 ± 978 | 3234 ± 763 | 3214 ± 885 |