Trends of female reproductive health status in Bangladesh from 1999 to 2018

Abstract

Objective: To analyze the changes of relevant indicators in reproductive health status among Bangladeshi women from 1999 to 2018 and to assess whether the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) can be achieved. Methods: Data were obtained from both the Bangladesh Demographic and Health as well as from the Maternal Mortality and Health Care Surveys. The trends of SDGs indicators related to reproductive health from 1999 to 2018 were analyzed and compared, and the average annual rate of change was calculated. Development index was used to assess the difficulty of achieving the SDGs. Results: The maternal mortality rate increased first and then leveled off from 2001 to 2016. From 1999 to 2018, the coverage of reproductive health care services and the proportion of women who had the right to make the decision on their own health care service, were generally increasing. Proportion of the following areas as: "contraceptive needs, women who consider that partner violence is justified, the rate of early marriage, and the rate of early childbearing etc.", were declining at various degrees. Development index of the antenatal care coverage, rate of delivery in medical facilities, percentage of live births attended by medically trained providers and the rate of postnatal care etc., were less than 1. The development indices of the maternal mortality rates were close to 1, while all the other indicators were greater than 1. Conclusions: The reproductive health-related SDGs indicators in Bangladesh appeared somehow degrees of progress from 1999 to 2018. However, for most indicators, the average annual rate of change was still lower than the expected to achieve the 2030 target which called for acceleration in the next few years.