Utilization of prenatal-care in India: an evidence from IDHS

The paper attempted to examine the socioeconomic determinants of two components of utilization of prenatal-care, i.e. prenatal consultation (at least four prenatal visits to medically trained professionals) and proper time of first consultation (first prenatal consultation within first trimester from medically trained professional) by the Indian women in the age group of 15–49 years. A series of models have been created, and binary logistic regression has been applied. Micro-data having 25,470 observations from Indian Demographic and Health Survey 2005–2006 has been used. The results explained that women’s age at first marriage, woman’s education, husband’s age and education, ever terminated pregnancy, husband’s presence during prenatal visit and wealth index increases the probability of both components of utilization of prenatal-care, i.e. prenatal consultation and proper time for first consultation. Birth-order of the child negatively affects both components. Husband’s living in the house, household covered with health insurance and female as head of household increase the probability of prenatal consultation. The husband’s working status positively affects the proper time of first consultation. The final say on woman’s health by woman alone, woman and husband collectively and husband alone increase the probability of prenatal consultation, while the final say by woman and husband collectively increase the probability of first prenatal consultation at proper time. The residence of the household in town and country side decreases the probability of prenatal consultation, while residence of household in the town (surprisingly) increases the likelihood of first consultation at proper time. The region of India as West (Goa, Gujarat and Maharashtra) and South (Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu) is more likely for women to have prenatal consultation, while the region of Central India (Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh) is less likely to have their women prenatal consultation as compared to North region (Delhi, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan and Uttaranchal). In the second model, the results have shown that Indian regions of Northeast (Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura), West and South are more likely as compared to North to have their women first consultation at proper time.