Table 1 Definition of certain exposure and outcome variables

Marginalization: This consists of three components: social class, literacy and socio-economic status. Women belonging to the SC/ST class, with no ability to read and write and belonging to the last two quintiles of the socio-economic score, were defined as “most marginalized”. Women with only two of the above indicators are classified as “some marginalization”, and those with only one or none would fall under “least marginalized”.

Access to communication: Women who had access to any one of the following: TV, radio or newspaper, were considered to have access to means of modern communication.

SHG membership: The respondent or one of her household members is a member of SHG run by Rajiv Gandhi Mahila Vikas Pariyojana.

Antenatal visits: 0 = who did not receive any ANC during last pregnancy, 1 = 1 or 2 visits, 2 = 3 and more visits either at a health facility or ANC received on Village Health and Nutrition Day (VHND) by auxiliary nurse midwife (ANM).

Home delivery: All women who gave birth at home (planned and unplanned).

Good thermal care: Those who kept baby warm by any method and those who delayed first bath of newborn beyond 48 h

Clean cord care: Those who did not apply any foreign material on the cord.

Good breast-feeding practices: Those who initiated breast feeding within 1 h of birth, did not discard colostrum and did not give any pre-lacteal feeds.