| Women autonomy and maternal healthcare services utilization among young ever-married women in Nigeria |
| Authors: |
Awoleye Abayomi F, Victor Chima and Alawode Oluwatobi A |
| Source: |
International Journal of Nursing and Midwifery, 10(6): 62-73; DOI: 10.5897/IJNM2018.0302 |
| Topic(s): |
Antenatal care
Delivery care
Health care utilization
Maternal health
Postnatal care
Women's autonomy
|
| Country: |
Africa
Nigeria
|
| Published: |
JUN 2018 |
| Abstract: |
In Nigeria, the lifetime risk of death from pregnancy or childbirth complications is 1 in 30. Maternal
healthcare utilisation addresses the risk of maternal mortality and morbidity but its utilisation is
influenced by varying factors of which autonomy has been neglected especially for young married
women. Therefore, this study examined the relationship between young married women’s level of
autonomy and maternal health care utilisation in Nigeria. Secondary data from the 2013 Nigeria
Demographic and Health Survey was analysed (n=4996) with consideration of young ever married
women (age 15 to 24), who had at least one live birth in the last five years preceding the survey. The
binary logistic regression models were fitted into the data. Findings revealed that only 30% of women
aged 15 to 24 delivered at a health facility while 44% of the total pregnant women had four or more
antenatal care visits before delivery. Also, young women with low autonomy were less likely to meet the
minimum requirement of four antenatal visits (OR=0.35: CI: 0.29-0.43) and less likely to deliver at a
health facility (OR=0.32: CI: 0.27-0.39). The study underscores the need to empower young women to
achieve higher levels of autonomy due to its obvious implication on their health and to encourage
integrated interventions that considers engaging household and community structures on the benefits
of women autonomy and its importance for mother and child’s health. Policy and program
considerations that would enable the removal of socio-cultural/demographic barriers towards women
autonomy in Nigeria should be encouraged.
Key words: Maternal healthcare utilization, antenatal, postnatal, place of delivery, women autonomy |
| Web: |
https://academicjournals.org/journal/IJNM/article-full-text-pdf/171590A57511.pdf |
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