Description of observed explanatory variables
| Explanatory variable | Categories | Description |
| Women’s characteristics | ||
| Educational attainment | None or primary | No formal education or 1–5 years of formal schooling |
| Secondary | 6–10 years of formal schooling | |
| Above secondary | More than 10 years of formal schooling | |
| Media exposure: exposure to radio, television or newspaper | None | Respondent did not have exposure to any mass media |
| Less than once a week | Has exposure to any media less than once a week | |
| At least once a week | Has exposure to any media at least once a week | |
| Almost every day | Has exposure to any media almost every day | |
| Age at last childbirth | <18 years | Age of the respondent at her last childbirth was below 18 years |
| 18–22 years | Age of the respondent at her last childbirth was between 18 and 22 years | |
| 23–27 years | Age of the respondent at her last childbirth was between 23 and 27 years | |
| 28 years or above | Age of the respondent at her last childbirth was 28 years or above | |
| Antenatal care visit during pregnancy of the index birth | None | Respondent did not receive ANC during her last childbirth |
| 1–3 | Respondent had at most three ANC visits during her last childbirth | |
| 4+ | Respondent had at least four ANC visits during her last childbirth | |
| Women’s birth history | ||
| Death history of children born | Had no death | Did not experience child death before the birth of the index child |
| Had at least one death | Experienced child death before the birth of the index child | |
| Birth order | First | Last child was the first birth of the respondent |
| Second | Last child was the second birth of the respondent | |
| Third or higher | Last child was the third or following birth of the respondent | |
| Sex of index child | Male | Index child is male |
| Female | Index child is female | |
| Partner characteristics | ||
| Age of husband | ≤30 years | Husband’s age was thirty years or below |
| Above 30 years | Husband’s age was above 30 years | |
| Household-level factors | ||
| Religion | Islam | Respondent was from a Muslim household |
| Other | Respondent was from a non-Muslim household | |
| Sex of household head | Male | Respondent was from a male-headed household |
| Female | Respondent was from a female-headed household | |
| Age of household head | ≤30 years | Household head’s age was thirty years or below |
| 31–40 years | Household head’s age was between 31 and 40 years | |
| 41–50 years | Household head’s age was between 41 and 50 years | |
| 51–60 years | Household head’s age was between 51 and 60 years | |
| 61 years or above | Household head’s age was 61 years or above | |
| Education of household head | None or primary | No formal education or 1–5 years of formal schooling |
| Secondary | 6–10 years of formal schooling | |
| Above secondary | More than 10 years of formal schooling | |
| Wealth status | Poor | Household belonged to the bottom two wealth quintile groups |
| Middle | Household belonged to the third wealth quintile group | |
| Rich | Household belonged to the highest two wealth quintile groups |
ANC, antenatal care.