Barriers to access maternal health services among urban poor women in Bangladesh: A Case of Rajshahi City

Abstract

Bangladesh has made tremendous achievements in the health sector over the last few decades, albeit worse in maternal health (MH) compared to other South Asian countries. The fact that women, particularly poor, have less access to maternal health care (MHC) services is one of the prime reasons. The main objective of this study was to explore what types of barriers poor mothers faced during the service use. A triangulation of method (interviews of service recipients through interview schedule and service providers through checklist, focus group discussion and observation) was used for the collection of primary data (sample 200) from two slum areas in Rajshahi City between March and April, 2013. The study found socio-cultural and organizational barriers to access to MHC services more acute than physical and financial barriers. As suggested, building awareness of bad consequences of early marriage on MH, ensuring a strong coordination among service providing organizations in dispensing free drugs and posting female doctors in study areas are urgently needed for further improvement of MH.MHC services and affordability to pay the service charges and receive good quality of service? These questions demand investigation. Broadly speaking, the main aim of the study was therefore to examine different barriers that discouraged women from going for MHC services.The next section highlights research techniques adopted in this study which is followed by the discussion of results of the study. The penultimate section highlights main findings of the study while conclusion and recommendations are made in final section.

Association of Serum Homocysteine with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM): A Case-Control Study

“…The prevalence of GDM in the U.S. was 7.6%, 5 while it reportedly affects one in every 23 pregnancies in the UK 6 . On the other hand, Bangladesh is the least developed country in Southeast Asia where maternal and child health is still underprivileged at some places with less access to healthcare services 7 . Here, the prevalence of GDM has been progressively increasing from 7.5% in 2012 to 18.1% in 2018 8 .…”