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Erschienen in:
01.08.2014 | Original Article
Utilization of maternal health care services and reproductive health complications in Assam, India
Erschienen in: Journal of Public Health | Ausgabe 4/2014
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Aim
Maternal health services potentially play a significant role in improving reproductive health. Access to skilled assistance and well-equipped health institutions during delivery can reduce maternal mortality and morbidity and improve pregnancy outcomes. In this study, we examined the relationship between the use of maternal health care services and the frequency of reproductive health complications (during pregnancy, delivery and after delivery) in Assam.
Subject and methods
We used data from the third round of the District Level Household and Facility Survey (DLHS, 2007–2008) which collects information about reproductive and child health services. Descriptive and multivariate analyses were used to understand the relationship between the use of health care services and the frequency of complications in pregnancy.
Results
Findings show that more than half of women reported having any complication during pregnancy and delivery. Post delivery complications in Assam are reported less by women as compared to any pregnancy and delivery complications. It is also found statistically significant that women who received full antenatal care during pregnancy reported less complications during the delivery and post-partum period. We found a positive correlation in the study area between having any complication during pregnancy with higher reporting of any delivery and post-delivery complication.
Conclusion
The study concludes that use of intensive health-care services reduces health complications. Therefore, it is necessary to improve community awareness on maternal health to motivate women to use more antenatal care services to reduce health complications during the reproductive time span.