Linkages Within the Reproductive and Maternal Health Continuum of Care in Bangladesh.

ABSTRACT

The continuum of care (CoC) is a fundamental approach to reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health policy and programs, but linkages along the CoC are inadequately understood. This article assesses linkages in reproductive and maternal health (RMH) services in Bangladesh using the 2011 Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (n = 7170). Antenatal care (ANC) was positively associated with skilled birth attendance (SBA) among both pre-pregnancy contraceptive users and nonusers. Among women who used pre-pregnancy contraceptives but did not receive skilled ANC, there was a 26% decreased odds of SBA. Pre-pregnancy contraceptive use increased the odds of postpartum contraceptive use, but neither ANC nor SBA was associated with postpartum contraceptive use. There are clear linkages within maternal health services and within reproductive health services, but linkages across life stages were variable. Removing barriers to accessing health services early and addressing barriers in the transitions within RMH care will facilitate sustained engagement along the CoC.