Table 1 Operational definition, categorization and dummy coding of the variables

COMMUNITY LEVEL

 Ecological region

Ecological zone (1 = Mountain, 2 = Hill and 3 = Terai (plain area/Lowlands))

 Region (administrative)

Developmental regions (1 = Far western, 2 = Mid western, 3 = Eastern, 4 = Central and 5 = Western)

 Residence

Type of residence (0 = Rural, 1 = Urban)

HOUSEHOLD LEVEL

 Household wealth index

Composite index of household amenities (1 = Poorest, 2 = Poorer, 3 = Middle, 4 = Richer and 5 = Richest)

 Maternal ethnicity/caste

Maternal ethnicity/caste (1 = Dalit, 2 = Janajati, 3 = Others, 4 = Brahmin, Chettri and Newar)

 Maternal religion

Maternal religion (1 = Hindu, 2 = Buddhist, Muslim, Christian and Kirat)

 Maternal education

Maternal formal years of schooling (0 = No formal school education, 1 = Primary education ie up to class five, 2 = Secondary and higher education ie above class five)

 Father’s education

Paternal formal years of schooling (0 = No formal school education, 1 = Primary education ie up to class five, 2 = Secondary and higher education ie above class five)

 Mother’s occupation

Mother’s occupational status (0 = Not working, 1 = Official (professional, technical, managerial and clerical), 2 = Sales and services, 3 = Skilled manual, 4 = Unskilled manual and 5 = Agriculture)

 Father’s occupation

Father’s occupational status (1 = Official (professional, technical, managerial and clerical), 2 = Sales and services, 3 = Skilled manual, 4 = Unskilled manual and 5 = Agriculture)

PROXIMATE LEVEL

 Sex of infant

Sex of infant (0 = Male and 1 = Female)

 Birth size

Subjective assessment of the respondent on the birth size (1 = Very large, 2 = Larger than average; 3 = Smaller than average, 4 = Very small and 5 = Average)

 Birth rank and birth interval

Birth rank and birth interval of baby (1 = 1st birth rank, 2 = 2nd or 3rd birth rank and birth interval ≤ 2 years; 3 = ≥ 4^th birth rank and birth interval >2 years, 4 = ≥ 4th birth rank, birth interval ≤2 years; 5 = 2nd or 3rd birth rank and birth interval >2 years)

 Age of mother at child birth

Maternal age at child birth (1 = <20 years, 2 = 20 to 35 years of age)

 Antenatal care visit

Antenatal service received by the mother ((0 = No and 1 = Yes, any visit)

 Use of tobacco

Use tobacco by mother (0 = No, smokes nothing and 1 = Yes but did not cover the frequency and duration of smoking)

 Place of delivery

Place of delivery (0 = Home and 1 = Health facility)

 Delivery assistance

Birth attendance during delivery (0 = By Traditional Birth Attendant/other and 1 = By Skill Birth Attendant or health professional)

 Post Natal Check up (PNC) visits

Postnatal check up visits (0 = No, 1 = Within 24 h and 2 = 1 day to 45 days)

OUTCOME LEVEL

 Death of infant

Death of infant (0 = No and 1 = Yes)