Bisma Imran, Aslam Fareed, Muhammad Tafseer.
A cross sectional study to determine factors associated with utilization of maternal health services in Faisalabad district of Punjab, Pakistan.
Pak J Public Health Jan ;3(1):17-26.

Background: Pakistan is struggling hard to achieve MDG goal 5 that is to reduce MMR (Maternal Mortality Rate) from 490 to 260. Utilization of antenatal care, facility delivery and family planning services result in improved maternal health which leads to reduction in MMR. This study explores the factors related to the use of maternal health services in one district of Pakistan. Method: A cross sectional household survey was conducted in Faisalabad district of Punjab to explore factors related to utilization of maternal health services. Data was collected from 1383 women of 15-45 years of age group who were pregnant at the time of the survey or had given birth in the last 18 months. Correlates for health service utilization were identified using logistic regression. Results: Although ANC (Antenatal care) visits and facility delivery was much higher among women of Faisalabad, around 80% and 77% respectively, use of contraceptives was very poor i.e; only 23%. ANC and facility delivery were significantly associated with parity, education, wealth and health workers visit which was opposite for the family planning use. Association of women autonomy and mass media with the utilization of ANC and institutional delivery were also found to be significant. Conclusion: The present study suggest that to in order to improve maternal health there is need to target women who are; from poorest wealth quintile, uneducated, having two to three children and have less autonomy. Furthermore ANC and postpartum period should be used as an ideal time period for counseling women for adopting family planning methods.

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