Representative image of a pregnant lady.
Credit: iStock Photo
Bengaluru: Bengaluru has the highest access to antenatal services among Karnataka's administrative divisions, including Kalaburagi, Mysuru, and Belagavi, according to a recent working paper by the Institute for Social and Economic Change (ISEC).
However, the study also found a surprising negative correlation between education levels and access to maternal healthcare services in Bengaluru.
The paper analysed data from the National Family Health Survey-5 (NFHS) to understand the impact of socio-economic factors on maternal healthcare in Karnataka. The services studied included ultrasound scans, vaccinations, blood and urine tests, and access to supplements essential for maternal health.
The paper noted that addressing socio-economic factors could significantly improve pregnancy outcomes and reduce maternal mortality across the state. As of 2022, Karnataka’s maternal mortality rate stood at 69 per one lakh live births.
Key findings
The ISEC study reaffirmed the positive relationship between wealth and access to antenatal care across the state. However, variations emerged across divisions.
Mothers in the Bengaluru division accessed four or more antenatal services 85 per cent of the time compared to 77 per cent in Mysuru, 66 per cent in Belagavi, and 59 per cent in Kalaburagi.
Muslim women and women from SC/ST and OBC communities in Bengaluru, Belagavi, and Kalaburagi were more likely to seek antenatal care than upper-caste women, a trend reversed in Mysuru.
Challenges in access
Prof Krishna Raj, one of the study's authors, pointed to several barriers to maternal healthcare in northern Karnataka. Many must travel to Hubballi-Dharwad or Bengaluru for advanced care, causing delays in referrals.
Also, pregnant women in the region are often required to work, limiting their ability to access services, while information about available healthcare services remains limited in certain areas.
The negative correlation between education and access to services in Bengaluru could be attributed to educated women relying on online resources or seeking personalised care, Raj suggested.
"A detailed, separate government study is required to corroborate the findings of the NFHS and identify the reasons behind such patterns. The government should take up these issues very seriously as some cultural beliefs and practices are also inhibiting people's access to healthcare," Raj said.
Suggestions to govt
Strengthen support for ASHA workers
Provide transport services for maternal health visits
Launch large-scale educational programmws to raise the age of first pregnancy
Offer incentives to increase maternal health service uptake