Impact of maternal and child health services on early post-partum modern contraceptive uptake in Pakistan: A quantitative analysis

The initiation of post-partum contraception is crucial for the health of mothers and their children. The early acceptance and uptake of modern contraceptive methods among women can be significantly boosted by the provision of maternal and child healthcare (MCH) services. This study examined whether the utilization of MCH services increases women’s early adoption of modern contraceptive methods. The data were taken from the Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey (2017 – 2018) for currently married women aged 15 – 49 years, and a multinomial logistic regression model was used to analyze the data. The results reveal that the richest women were twice as likely (relative risk ratio [RRR] = 2.14, p < 0.001) to use modern contraceptive methods and 4 times more likely (RRR = 4.16, p < 0.001) to use traditional contraceptive methods than the poorest women. Similarly, women with media exposure were more likely (RRR = 1.43, p < 0.001) to use modern contraceptive methods in comparison with their counterparts. Notably, women aged 30 – 34 years (RRR = 2.08, p < 0.001) were more likely to use modern contraceptives. Expanding MCH services, focused on addressing wealth disparities, media exposure, and education levels, is crucial. In addition, regional and age-specific barriers to contraceptive use should be tackled, particularly in underserved areas such as Balochistan and among younger reproductive age groups.