Reproductive health service provision and its differentials in Bangladesh: Implication for developing countries

The aim of this paper is to investigate the association between reproductive health service provision and its differentials. The study used data from Demographic and Health Surveys and Utilization of Essential Service Delivery Survey of Bangladesh. Public facilities still the major source of modern contraceptive methods among the poor women (66.6%) as compared to the women from richest quintile (26.8%). Seeking of ANC from medically trained providers is significantly higher among the richest quintile (87.4%) as compared to 30.4 percent among the poorest quintile. The well-off usually rely on the private facilities for ANC services as compared to the poor. The socio-economic status has positive impact on the likelihood of delivering at a health facility. The likelihood of preferring private facility relative to public facility in terms of family planning services is increasing over time given the other variables in the model are held constant. Despite expansion of the private sector and NGO sector, the public sector remains an important source of supply for poor women. More attention should be given to the determinants of reproductive health, associated with their interaction with service provision, to reduce maternal mortality and to achieve the MDG for maternal mortality.