Maternal health care in south India: Do adolescents seek more care than older women?

Abstract

This paper discusses the results of an analysis of a prospective, community-based study of maternal morbidity and care in rural south India, funded by the WHO, for which data collection was completed in 1998. The entire population of pregnant women in eleven villages in rural Karnataka was enrolled in the study (n=500). Nearly half of the study population was 19 years of age or less at the time of enrollment. The focus of the analysis is on health care during the obstetric period, to examine whether and how adolescents are disadvantaged in aspects of maternal care. The paper concludes with results from focus group discussions.

Citation

Opportunities and Choices Working Paper No. 8, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK, 18 pp.

Maternal health care in south India: Do adolescents seek more care than older women?

Published 1 January 2002