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Differentials in the Utilization of Antenatal Care Services in EAG states of India

Author Affiliations

  • 1International Institute for Population Sciences, Mumbai, INDIA

Int. Res. J. Social Sci., Volume 2, Issue (11), Pages 28-32, November,14 (2013)

Abstract

Maternal health has ever been a serious matter of concern worldwide. In developing countries like India, maternal health care services are not sufficient as per requirement, which ultimately leads to maternal deaths triggering a challenge to achieve improve maternal health (i.e. MDG 5). Therefore, utilization of maternal health care services like ante-natal care (ANC) in ‘Empowered Action Group’s states, which are known as EAG states of India, need special attention as these states comprise the majority of population in India and are very backward as per various socioeconomic and demographic indicators. The present study has tried to focus on the utilization of ante-natal care services by women of age group 15 to 49 years by their demographic and socioeconomic characteristics. Indian Human Development Survey (IHDS-2005) data has been used. Simple bivariate and multivariate analyses like binary logistic regression, significance test are used. Though, previous literatures have already shown that socio-economic factors are the important predictors of the utilization of ANC services, but the present study has found a huge variation in the utilization of ANC services in EAG states. Apart from the other background characteristics like women’s age, residence, level of education, economic status etc., indicator like abortion experienced by women have also immense influence on women’s health as well as ante-natal care services received by them. Though education has significant positive impact on women’s health and utilization of ANC services, still the scenario is not same in all EAG states. Percentage of women, who have received ANC, has shown great discrepancy after controlling the variable like education and other socio-economic and demographic variables. Social equity with respect to the distribution of facilities is the utmost important prerequisite in these states. To reduce the gap between the ante-natal care service providers and the service receivers, appropriate policy, public private collaboration and their strategic implementation are required.

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