MATERNAL HEALTH CARE CHALLENGES AMONG URBAN POOR AND NON-POOR COMMUNITIES IN INDIA

By using the third round of National Family and Health Survey (NFHS-III) the study tries to bring out the differentials of maternal health care challenges among urban poor and non-poor women in India. Bivarite and multivariate analysis has done and a separate wealth index has developed by using PCA method from a set of household economic proxies for urban areas to define urban poor and non-poor. Preliminary result shows a large inequality prevail in utilization of antenatal care and skilled birth assistance by economic status of women. It is also found that urban non-poor women visit more ANC check up than poor, which is also observed for receiving TT injection, consuming IFA tablets and use of delivery care services. Urban poor mothers were significantly at disadvantageous position relatively than non-poor urban mothers in India. Urban non-poor women are more likely to use public and private health care centres for their delivery purpose as compare to urban poor and this differential prevails because of high cost of health facility. From the study it can be conclude that maternal and delivery care services needs more specific policy implementation to reduce inequalities and inaccessibility in use of health care services in India.