A cross-sectional study of migrant women with reference to their antenatal care services utilization and delivery practices in an urban slum of Mumbai

Abstract

Introduction:Migrant is a vulnerable population. They face several barriers in accessing health services. The immigration status presents various challenges for maternity services utilization. So this study was conducted (1) to estimate proportion of women utilizing full ANC package and to find out reasons for its nonutilization (2) to estimate the proportion of institutional deliveries and reasons for home deliveries.Methods:A cross-sectional community based study was conducted among migrant women in reproductive age group in an urban slum. The sample size was 120. Multistage simple random sampling was done.Results:Maximum numbers of migrants (71.7%) were from Uttar Pradesh. Sixty two percent married before the age of 18 years. Full ANC package was received by only 18% migrants. Proportion of home deliveries was 12%, and all were conducted by Untrained Dai. Lack of transport facility and availability of Dai (local birth attendant) were the reasons mentioned for home delivery. For nonutilization of full ANC package, far location of health center (30%); it is not necessary (25.8%); and family did not allow them to visit health center (21.8%) were the reasons mentioned. Religion and type of family were significantly associated with nonutilization of full ANC package.Conclusion:The present study revealed low utilization of ANC services and high proportion of home deliveries among the migrant women even after availability of health facilities for providing ANC care and to conduct deliveries in urban area.

Utilization of maternal and child health services among migratory/slum dwellers in Udupi municipality area, Karnataka, India

“…On the contrary studies conducted by Sharma et al (21.7%), Kulkarni et al (23.13%), Shukla et al (9.8%), Sarode et al (12.7%), Badge et al (28%) showed very less consumption of IFA tablets by the mothers. 7,13,16,17,19 While a study conducted by Budimelli et al showed a higher proportion of consumption of IFA tablets among the mothers. (93.3%).…”

Factors associated with late ANC initiation among pregnant women in select public health centers of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: unmatched case–control study design

“…Another study conducted in Mumbai, India reported low utilization of ANC services and high proportion of home deliveries among the migrant women despite the availability of health facilities for providing ANC care and to conduct deliveries in urban areas. 25 …”

Migration and health: A systematic review on health and health care of internal migrants in India

“…Utilization of antenatal care (ANC) services was remarkably low among the migrants compared to the local population or long‐term migrants. This finding was reported among the migrant women that were either sampled from the slums, or from construction sites, or the seasonal migrants during sugarcane harvesting season . Kusuma et al reported that for ANC, migrants in Delhi mainly relied on government health facility (72%), but adequate ANC was accessed by only 20% of the migrant women .…”

“…Sharma et al reported that while 39% of the women working at a construction site received 2 doses of tetanus toxoid injection, 46% were not immunized . Slum‐dwelling migrants from Mumbai grossly missed full ANC with only 18% of women had full ANC . While Gawde et al reported that less than one third of the migrant women in Mumbai received basic ANC and still one fourth gave childbirth at home …”