What is the relation between initiation of age at child bearing and the utilization of maternal health care services in India?

Early marriage as well as early child bearing is rampant in India. Early child bearing has adverse effect on the mother and the newborn. In spite of global influence on the paradigm shift in reproductive health approach, no population in the world has yet met the goals set at the ICPD, and the predicaments are particularity acute in developing countries. This paper examines the relation between age at initiation of child bearing and utilization of maternal health care services among currently married women in India. The 3rd round of District Level Household and Facility Survey 2007-08 is the data source of the study. The study employed bi-variate and multivariate analysis. Insofar as the ANC, safe delivery and PNC is concerned the pattern of its utilization varies across the different segments of the society. The findings of the study reveals that the women who initiate child bearing before the age of 18 have a very low level of maternal health care services utilization than the women who initiate child bearing after the age 18. This difference is persistent in the subsequent birth order and across the background characteristics.
(Key Words: Child bearing age, maternal health, India)