Patterns of public and private maternal healthcare use among the urban poor of Bangladesh: cross-sectional survey

Background: Despite some progress, in Bangladesh access to high quality essential maternal healthcare remains inadequate.  Women living in urban slums may face additional obstacles to maternal healthcare, but evidence remains limited. The study aims to explore the patterns of maternal healthcare ut...

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Main Authors: Shafayatul Islam Shiblee, Harun ur Rashid
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University 2025-03-01
Series:Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University Journal
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Online Access:https://banglajol.info/index.php/BSMMUJ/article/view/76027
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author Shafayatul Islam Shiblee
Harun ur Rashid
author_facet Shafayatul Islam Shiblee
Harun ur Rashid
author_sort Shafayatul Islam Shiblee
collection DOAJ
description Background: Despite some progress, in Bangladesh access to high quality essential maternal healthcare remains inadequate.  Women living in urban slums may face additional obstacles to maternal healthcare, but evidence remains limited. The study aims to explore the patterns of maternal healthcare utilisation in urban slums. Methods: This cross-sectional survey was conducted in April 2022 using an established health and demographic surveillance system operating in Dhaka North, Dhaka South and Gazipur city corporations. Six hundred thirty five married women of reproductive age with a baby aged ≤12 months were interviewed. Univariate and multivariate analysis were done to determined the factors affecting utilisation of maternal healthcare services. Results: Overall, 36% of respondents had at least four antenatal care checkups, 56% had facility-based delivery, 58% had delivery with a skilled attendant and received postnatal care within two days of delivery. Use of essential services was low among uneducated women.  Geographical differentials were found, raising questions about the low antenatal care and high private facility delivery in Gazipur. Many women opt for private delivery care, and 35% reported having a C-section. Conclusion: Attention is needed across the whole pregnancy journey to improve access to high quality affordable antenatal care, delivery care and postnatal care for urban slum women. A complex of factors appears to be at play, with women’s awareness, household decision-making, and provision of accessible, affordable, high-quality services all requiring action by policy makers.
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publisher Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University
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spelling doaj-art-e3276b7cde8a40b2aa90365933316d182025-08-20T02:10:10ZengBangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical UniversityBangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University Journal2074-29082224-77502025-03-0118110.3329/bsmmuj.v18i1.76027Patterns of public and private maternal healthcare use among the urban poor of Bangladesh: cross-sectional surveyShafayatul Islam Shiblee0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6594-5441Harun ur Rashid1Maternal and Child Health Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, BangladeshHealth Systems and Population Studies Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh Background: Despite some progress, in Bangladesh access to high quality essential maternal healthcare remains inadequate.  Women living in urban slums may face additional obstacles to maternal healthcare, but evidence remains limited. The study aims to explore the patterns of maternal healthcare utilisation in urban slums. Methods: This cross-sectional survey was conducted in April 2022 using an established health and demographic surveillance system operating in Dhaka North, Dhaka South and Gazipur city corporations. Six hundred thirty five married women of reproductive age with a baby aged ≤12 months were interviewed. Univariate and multivariate analysis were done to determined the factors affecting utilisation of maternal healthcare services. Results: Overall, 36% of respondents had at least four antenatal care checkups, 56% had facility-based delivery, 58% had delivery with a skilled attendant and received postnatal care within two days of delivery. Use of essential services was low among uneducated women.  Geographical differentials were found, raising questions about the low antenatal care and high private facility delivery in Gazipur. Many women opt for private delivery care, and 35% reported having a C-section. Conclusion: Attention is needed across the whole pregnancy journey to improve access to high quality affordable antenatal care, delivery care and postnatal care for urban slum women. A complex of factors appears to be at play, with women’s awareness, household decision-making, and provision of accessible, affordable, high-quality services all requiring action by policy makers. https://banglajol.info/index.php/BSMMUJ/article/view/76027maternal healthcareANCPNCfacility birthslum
spellingShingle Shafayatul Islam Shiblee
Harun ur Rashid
Patterns of public and private maternal healthcare use among the urban poor of Bangladesh: cross-sectional survey
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University Journal
maternal healthcare
ANC
PNC
facility birth
slum
title Patterns of public and private maternal healthcare use among the urban poor of Bangladesh: cross-sectional survey
title_full Patterns of public and private maternal healthcare use among the urban poor of Bangladesh: cross-sectional survey
title_fullStr Patterns of public and private maternal healthcare use among the urban poor of Bangladesh: cross-sectional survey
title_full_unstemmed Patterns of public and private maternal healthcare use among the urban poor of Bangladesh: cross-sectional survey
title_short Patterns of public and private maternal healthcare use among the urban poor of Bangladesh: cross-sectional survey
title_sort patterns of public and private maternal healthcare use among the urban poor of bangladesh cross sectional survey
topic maternal healthcare
ANC
PNC
facility birth
slum
url https://banglajol.info/index.php/BSMMUJ/article/view/76027
work_keys_str_mv AT shafayatulislamshiblee patternsofpublicandprivatematernalhealthcareuseamongtheurbanpoorofbangladeshcrosssectionalsurvey
AT harunurrashid patternsofpublicandprivatematernalhealthcareuseamongtheurbanpoorofbangladeshcrosssectionalsurvey