Barriers to the utilization of maternal health care facilities amongst urban poor populations in Ghana

Kate Jowett, University of Southampton

Previous studies in SSA have found that maternal health facility utilization rates tend to be lowest amongst rural women, and urban populations tend to fare better. However – emerging evidence from Kenya, suggests that the ‘urban advantage’ may not be applicable to all residents, particularly those in the city’s slums. Ghana’s urban population will increase from around half (47.8%) to three quarters (75.6%) between 2005 and 2050 – we must consider paying greater research and policy attention to urban areas. This research will examine the trends in the utilization of maternal health services amongst the urban poor in Ghana. Analysis of the Ghana Maternal Health Survey (DHS 2007) has shown there are differentials between the urban rich and the urban poor in antenatal care, delivery care and postnatal care. These estimates were derived by producing separate wealth quintiles, using a PCA method, for rural and urban areas separately.