Socio-demographic determinants of use of maternity care services in urban women in Nepal

Identifying socio-demographic determinants is important to improve utilization of maternity care services. The study examined the socio-demographic determinants of use of maternity care services among urban women in Nepal by... [ view full abstract ]

Identifying socio-demographic determinants is important to improve utilization of maternity care services. The study examined the socio-demographic determinants of use of maternity care services among urban women in Nepal by further analyzing the urban subset of women’s individual dataset of Nepal Demographic Health Survey 2011.

Utilization of maternity care services varied significantly by women’s age, education, economic status, religion, parity, ecological and development region. All these socio-demographic variables were significant factors for use of antenatal care by skilled birth attendants, 4+antenatal care and delivery by skilled birth attendants (P value <0.001).

Uses of all maternity care services were found to increase with increasing education and economic status of urban women. Compared to illiterate urban women, highly educated urban women were two times more likely to use antenatal care and delivery by skilled birth attendants and three times more likely to receive 4+ antenatal care. Urban richest women were two times more likely to use all three maternity care services compared to urban poorest women.

Parity and age of women showed a negative association with the use of all maternity care services. Urban women with one child were 2 times, 6 times and 4 times more likely to use antenatal care by skilled birth attendants, 4+ antenatal care and delivery by skilled birth attendants respectively than urban women with more than 6 children.

Hindu and Buddhist urban women and urban women in central development region were significantly more likely to use all three maternity care services, while it seems decreasing from central to far western region. Urban women in hill were significantly more likely to use antenatal and delivery by skilled birth attendants.

In conclusion, women’s age, education, economic status, religion, parity, ecological and development region were significant determinants for use of maternity care services among urban women in Nepal.