Demand for maternal health services: a case study of antenatal care in Thika division of Kiambu district

Abstract

The main aim of this study was to analyze tile rectors that influence demano For Maternal and Child Health (MCH) care services. with a focus on antenatal care (ANC). The focus on the ANC was rationalized on the understanding that proper ANC can reduce maternal mortality and morbidity, hence improve the health status of Kenyan women. Data used to estimate effects of identified variables on tile demand for tile , ANC were collected throuqh a field survey on 128 women respondents in Thika division of Kiambu district between July to 25tl1 July 1994. A two-stage' sampling procedure was designed and used for purposes of data collection. Preliminary ana lysis of the collected data showed that there was under-ut il ization of antenatal care services in the study area. Tile estimated results of the specified demand model indicated that some economic problems. like income. waiting and travel time had little effect on delivery in the Thika division. A number of policy variables. which include, cost of travel services are distance were to influence the level of antenatal care utilization significantly. The effects of household income and education demand effects were found to be very low. This suggests that in order to i ncrease demand for number of v is its income and education would have to be increased by a proportion so as to increase demand significantly.