Relationship between Various Components of Maternal Health Care Services with Maternal Mortality Ratio: An Ecological Study

Introduction: Maternal mortality is an important indicator of health care system. Since more than three decades several programmes have been implemented to decrease maternal mortality. But it is disheartening that despite of it India couldn’t achieve MDG target.5This may be due to poor utilization of services or limitation of resources.8In this contest if it can be known which services among all have more impact on maternal mortality, then by giving more focused attention on those, we can accelerate the decline in maternal mortality. Objective: This study was conducted with objective to find out relationship between MMR and various components of maternal health care services. Methodology: Secondary data were collected from Annual Health Survey 2012-13 reports of Govt. of India. Coverage of components of maternal services in total 284 districts of 9 states under AHS were compared with MMR in bivariate and binary logistic regression analysis in SPSS in community medicine department of MKCG medical college. Results: 4 components antenatal care in pregnancy, USG in pregnancy, institutional delivery and JSY scheme to mothers were found to be significantly associated with MMR. Conclusion: Higher coverage of components like ante natal care in pregnancy, USG in ante natal period, institutional delivery and JSY scheme to mothers significantly associated with lower MMR. So these components of maternal services should get more focused attention to decline MMR rapidly.