Abstract
Objective
To examine the linkage between the possible influences of the extent of autonomy on
young mothers use of reproductive health care services.
Methods
This paper used data from the 2007 Bangladesh Demographic Health Survey. The analyses
were based on responses of 1,778 currently married women aged 15 to 24 years, living
with at least one 0- to 35-month-old child. Utilization of antenatal health services
(ANC) services by amount and type of provider, and utilization of delivery assistance
according to provider type were used as proxy outcome variables of reproductive health
care utilization. Descriptive statistics and multivariate logistic regression methods
were employed in the analysis.
Results
Approximately one third (31%) of the currently married young women in Bangladesh had
a higher level of overall decision-making autonomy. Only 24.0% of the sampled women
received sufficient ANC; 54% and 18% received ANC and assisted deliveries from a medically
trained provider. respectively. In adjusted models, young women who had a higher level
of overall autonomy were more likely to receive sufficient ANC (adjusted odds ratio
[AOR], 1.64; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.17–2.23) and receiving ANC from medically
trained provider (AOR, 1.91; 95% CI, 1.42–2.45). Women who had medium overall autonomy
were 1.40 times more likely (95% CI, 1.03–1.98) to have deliveries assisted by a medically
trained provider than women who had low autonomy.
Conclusion
Association between young mother’s autonomy and reproductive health care utilization
suggest that maternal autonomy needs to be considered as an important sociocultural
determinant for the higher utilization of reproductive health care services for young
mothers in Bangladesh.
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Biography
Syed Emdadul Haque, MSc, MHSc, is a PhD candidate at the Department of Community and Global Health, Graduate School of Medicine, the University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
Biography
Mosiur Rahman MSc, MHSc, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Population Science and Human Resource Development, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi-6205, Bangladesh.
Biography
Md. Golam Mostofa is Associate Professor, Department of Population Science and Human Resource Development, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi-6205, Bangladesh.
Biography
Md. Sarwar Zahan is a Senior Educational Professional at the Institute of Educational Development, BRAC University, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Article info
Publication history
Published online: October 04, 2011
Accepted:
August 4,
2011
Received in revised form:
July 12,
2011
Received:
August 15,
2010
Identification
Copyright
© 2012 Jacobs Institute of Women's Health. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
