Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40526689›Full record

SynthesisPloS one2025

Socioeconomic inequalities in access to maternal healthcare in South-Asian countries: A systematic review.

Ishrat Binte Aftab, Tisha Chakma, Akash Ahmed, Syed Mohammad Raysul Haque

Abstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in PloS one, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Ishrat Binte AftabBRAC James P Grant School of Public Health, BRAC University, Dhaka, Bangladesh.ORCID 0000-0002-2717-3302
Tisha ChakmaBRAC James P Grant School of Public Health, BRAC University, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Akash AhmedDepartment of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, BRAC University, Dhaka, Bangladesh.ORCID 0000-0002-0679-0635
Syed Mohammad Raysul HaqueDepartment of Public Health, Independent University Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh.ORCID 0000-0002-8963-6907

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundDespite numerous efforts, South Asia is the second most leading region for maternal mortality and morbidity. Although there have been notable advancements on this continent, progress in maternal healthcare access has been slow. Inequalities remain in different maternal health services across diverse population groups. The aim of this study is to better understand the socioeconomic inequalities in maternal healthcare access in South Asian countries.

methodsTwo databases (MEDLINE and Google Scholar) were searched for identifying studies. Studies with data on socioeconomic factors, maternal healthcare, inequality, and South-Asian countries were included. Mixed method appraisal tool was used for quality assessment of the identified studies.

resultsA total of 55 studies from India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Pakistan were included in the final analysis. Overall, quantitative study showed that maternal healthcare access is linked to economic status, education, occupation, and women's autonomy. Qualitative studies demonstrated poverty, lack of awareness of complication and service and inability in decision making on healthcare was the reason for not accessing maternal health care. Significant finding from this review includes effect of education mostly evident after secondary education and paternal occupation was significant rather than maternal occupation.

conclusionFindings of this review indicates a large disparity in access to maternal health care services. Policymakers should create interventions and financial schemes that are tailored to the mothers from low socioeconomic background.

Indexed as

Healthcare DisparitiesHealth Services AccessibilityMaternal Health ServicesAsiaBangladeshFemaleHumansNepalPregnancySocioeconomic Factors

Identifiers

PMID40526689
PMCPMC12173378

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.