Rimu Mishra^1,, Nitendra Chaurasia¹, Asis De²

It is difficult to predict which woman will develop pregnancy-related complications, but all pregnant women should have access to high quality obstetric care throughout their pregnancies. Non-utilization of antenatal and delivery care services and poor socioeconomic conditions of the patient usually is linked with maternal complications and poor perinatal outcome. Undesired outcomes are seen in unbooked than booked patients. Maternal mortality as a health indicator reveals the wide variations between rich and poor, urban and rural areas, within communities and between countries. The objective of the study was to study utilization and factors influencing the utilization of antenatal, intranatal and postnatal health care services by mothers. Community based cross sectional study was carried out from May 2013 to April 2014 in Jhorahat PHC area of Morang District. All pregnant women who had delivered during the one year period from May 2013 to April 2014 were included in the study. Out of 379 mothers majority (82.1%) were of age between 20 to 30years. Majority belonged to middle socioeconomic status family and were multiparous. Seventy percent of mother had completed all four antenatal visits. All mothers had taken TT injections, but only 62.3% completed full two dosage of TT vaccination. Majority (67%) of mothers had institutional delivery and most of the deliveries (70%) were conducted by skilled health personnel. Only 44.6% of mothers had done three postnatal visits.

Utilization, Safe Motherhood Services, Nepal