Abstract
Postnatal care (PNC) is an essential component of maternity care. Appropriate and timely care immediately after childbirth can save lives and help to prevent or treat comorbidities resulting from pregnancy and childbirth. Despite its importance, PNC coverage is still low in Bangladesh. The aim of this study was to analyse the trends, inequalities, and factors associated with PNC for mothers in Bangladesh. Data from the last five Bangladesh Demographic and Health Surveys (BDHS) were used. Descriptive statistics were used to report PNC outcome rates and trends across six inequality indicators. Modified Poisson regression analyses were used to identify factors associated with PNC use in the most recent BDHS. A total of 21,240 women were included for the analysis. The rate of PNC by ‘medically trained provider’ within 2 days of birth increased between 2004 and 2017, from 16 to 52%. There were wide inequalities across socio-demographic factors. The regression analyses found women giving birth at home, women from the poorest wealth quintile and women receiving no antenatal care (ANC) were least likely to receive PNC. The findings emphasize the need to improve public health programs supporting women who have the least access to PNC. The identified inequalities can inform policy formulation to ensure more equitable provision of PNC to women in Bangladesh.
Highlights
Postnatal care (PNC) is an essential component of maternity care
50% of all maternal deaths occur within the first 24 h after childbirth and more than two-thirds occur within a week of childbirth[2]
WHO recommends that all mothers and newborns should receive postnatal care (PNC) from a skilled health provider within the first 24 h of birth irrespective of the place of birth, and they should receive at least three additional postnatal check-ups within 42 days of birth[2]
Summary
Postnatal care (PNC) is an essential component of maternity care. Appropriate and timely care immediately after childbirth can save lives and help to prevent or treat comorbidities resulting from pregnancy and childbirth. Routine postnatal visits for a mother typically involve early detection, treatment and prevention of complications including postpartum hemorrhage, eclampsia and puerperal sepsis, assessment of breastfeeding progress, and support and advice on emotional wellbeing[2,4] Despite these recommendations, globally about 40% women do not receive postnatal v isits[5] and only less than half of women receive care within 24 h of b irth[6]. A 2015 systematic review showed that in LMICs, utilization of postnatal care varied widely according to women’s socio-economic status, geographical location and maternal and partner’s education[11] These inequalities pose a huge challenge in achieving the 2030 targets for the Sustainable Development Goals as well as progressing towards universal health coverage (UHC)[12].
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
