Risk of Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes among Women Practicing Poor Sanitation in Rural India: A Population-Based Prospective Cohort Study

This pioneering population-based prospective cohort study carried out in rural India by Padhi et al. (2015) provides the first ever evidence that open defecation is associated with a higher risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes (APOs) - premature birth or low birth weight. It highlights the need for research into the biological and behavioural mechanisms through which limited access to improved sanitation leads to APOs.The study was published in PLOS Medicine.