We analysed population data from the 2015–16 National Family Health Survey to disentangle the intricate underlying effects of reproductive behaviours and fertility preferences on child growth. We expected birth interval length to be more strongly associated with stunting than sibsize and these effects to be moderated by whether the child was wanted or unintended (mistimed/unwanted). Regression analyses showed strong and equal effects of short birth interval and sibsize on stunting, when adjusted for potential confounders and unobserved between-mother heterogeneity. There were no statistical associations between stunting and mistiming/unwantedness of index children, suggesting the absence of discrimination against such children. We conclude that while fertility preferences have no effect, reproductive behaviours exert significant influence on child growth. Sibsize has been falling for many years in India but birth interval lengths have remained largely unchanged. The results underscore the need for strengthening uptake of reversible contraceptives to enable longer birth intervals.

我们分析了 2015-16 年全国家庭健康调查的人口数据，以解开生殖行为和生育偏好对儿童生长的复杂潜在影响。我们预计生育间隔长度与发育迟缓的相关性比同胞大小更强烈，并且这些影响将通过孩子是想要还是意外（不合时宜/不想要）来缓和。回归分析显示，在针对潜在混杂因素和未观察到的母亲之间的异质性进行调整后，短出生间隔和同胞对发育迟缓的影响强烈且相等。指标儿童的发育迟缓和不合时宜/不受欢迎之间没有统计关联，表明不存在对此类儿童的歧视。我们得出的结论是，虽然生育偏好没有影响，生殖行为对儿童的成长有显着影响。多年来，印度同胞的大小一直在下降，但生育间隔长度基本保持不变。结果强调需要加强可逆避孕药的使用，以延长生育间隔。