Socio-Demographic and Health Factors Affecting Maternal Mortality in Rural Bangladesh

Abstract

The present study examines the impact of non-biological factors such as age, birth-order, education, smoking, anaemia, and tetanus vaccination on maternal mortality using data on maternal deaths collected by Gonoshayastha Kendra (GK) from 592 villages of Bangladesh. The analysis of data reveals that further reducation in maternal mortality is possible in rural Bangladesh through vigorous campaigns against smoking, preventing births to women with four or more children, delaying first time childbearing, prevention and treatment of anaemia, and promoting full doses of tetanus vaccination for pregnant women.