Factors Influencing the Utilization of Maternal Healthcare Services; a Study among Gond Community of Gadchiroli (Maharashtra)

Abstract

Background: Due to difficulties during pregnancy, childbirth, or post-partum, millions of women in the reproductive age group die or suffer severe morbidity.

Objectives; to study the pattern and factors associated with the utilization of maternal healthcare services among Gond community women of Gadchiroli

Method; this is a cross-sectional study of 104 Gondi females from Gadchiroli selected by purposive sampling method, whose ages ranged from 15 to 49 years and who had given birth in the previous year. A semi-structured interview schedule was used for data collection and analyzed by descriptive statistics and chi-square test

Results: In this study, 96.15 percent of the women interviewed had used the ANC facility to its full capacity. Despite the fact that 94.23 percent of respondents gave birth in a hospital and just 5.8% at home, the study found that 61.5 percent of respondents used PNC services at once. According to bi-variate analysis, numerous socioeconomic and demographic characteristics are linked to the maternity healthcare services among Gadchiroli's Gondi women, like visits of health workers during pregnancy, husband education, exposure to mass media, and a number of pregnancies problem faced during ANC are the important factors.

Conclusion: Overall socioeconomic development, with a focus on women's empowerment and education, can promote better utilization of maternal health services.

Keywords: Antenatal Care, Delivery Care, Postnatal Care, Gondi women.