ShodhPatra: International Journal of Science and Humanities

Disparities and Determinants in Utilization of Antenatal: A Comparative Analysis of Rural and Urban India

The study tries to examine disparities in the utilization of antenatal care (ANC). The study tries to see the utilization disparity between rural and urban areas in India. For the study data has been used from the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5, 2019–20). By analyzing a sample of 176,875 women aged 15–49 who had given birth in the five years preceding the survey. The research finds key socio-demographic determinants influencing ANC utilization. For analysis descriptive statistics and multilevel logistic regression has been used. The study tries to see the which variable is the most dominant in the utilization of four or more ANC. Results show significant urban-rural differences and also reveal that variables like maternal education, wealth, timing of first ANC , and place of delivery are strong predictors of ANC utilization. The study highlights the inequities in access to maternal health services. It recommends the need for targeted interventions to improve ANC uptake among unprivileged section of society.