Socio-Economic and Cultural Determinants of Maternal and Neonatal Mortality in Pakistan

Abstract

The current study analyzed socio-economic and cultural determinants of maternal and neonatal mortality in Pakistan. This research was conducted at PIMS, Islamabad, Pakistan. In the first phase of research, we used a survey method to collect data from 56 respondents (36 female doctors and 20 female nurses) and their perceptions were enumerated about the socioeconomic and cultural determinants of maternal mortality. In the second phase of the research, 200 mothers (who had a baby under 1-year) currently admitted at PIMS were sampled for in-depth interviews and they were asked about the multiple determinants of neonatal mortality. In both phases, we employed a purposive sampling technique with a special inclusion criterion. The study highlighted multiple reasons influencing mortality of mothers and neonates such as lack of awareness, lack of transportation facilities, illiteracy, poverty, lack of antenatal care services and deliveries handled by unskilled birth attendants at homes.