[Use of maternal health care services in poor regions in Sichuan].

OBJECTIVE: To undertake a research into the maternal health care services and its determinants in poor regions in Sichuan province.
METHODS: Stratified cluster sampling strategy was employed to select the participants who had pregnancy since 1998 to complete the interview administered "maternal health care questionnaire". A total of 462 women participated in thè study.
RESULTS: Of the 462 women, 387 received prenatal care services, the most common maternal health care services. Only 144 women got post-natal visits at least once. Maternal age and education had significant impacts on the use of maternal health care services including prenatal examinations and birth in hospitals (P<0.05). Low-income (< Yen 1000) women used less maternal health care services than the high-income (> Yen 5000) women (P<0.05). The women who were covered by the cooperative medical insurance scheme and poverty alleviation scheme used more prenatal care and post-natal services and were more likely to deliver babies in hospitals than those who paid the services entirely out of pocket (P<0.05).
CONCLUSION: Poor social and economical situation has a detrimental impact on the use of maternal health care services, which might be associated with poor education and low financial capacities of the women.