Skilled birth attendance in Balochistan, Pakistan

Abstract

Background: Pakistan faces high maternal and neonatal mortality despite interventions from government, national, and international organizations. Objective: To assess factors associated with the use of skilled birth attendance in Balochistan. Methods: A logistic regression model was used to identify factors influencing use of skilled birth attendance from data obtained from the Balochistan Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey 2010, together with social and economic determinants.. Results: Only 25.7% of the expectant mothers in Balochistan Province used skilled birth attendance. Women from rural areas were less likely to use skilled attendance compared with compared with those from urban areas (odds ratio (OR) = 0.73, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.51–0.95). Poverty was negatively associated with use (OR = 0.26, 95% CI = 0.02–0.51). Lack of education was negatively associated with skilled birth attendance (OR = 0.38, 95% CI = 0.09–0.67). Women from 25 to 34 years old were more likely to use skilled birth attendance than younger women (OR = 1.51, 95% CI = 1.03 –2.81). Women who justified being beaten by their husbands were less likely to use skilled attendance (OR = 0.64; 95% CI = 0.39–0.89). Conclusions: There are gaps in use of skilled birth attendance between women in urban and rural settings, rich and poor, the educated and those with no schooling. Their age, age at first marriage, number of children ever born, attitude toward being beaten by their husband, and source of skilled antenatal care significantly influenced the expectant mothers to use skilled birth attendance. Keywords: Balochistan, determinants, multiple indicator cluster survey, skilled birth attendant, utilization