ArticleBMC health services research2026
Assessment of maternal healthcare utilization and continuum of care among reproductive-age women in Gujarat: a cross-sectional study.
Article in BMC health services research, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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.
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.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
8 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundA healthcare system's efficacy is demonstrated by safe motherhood, which is an essential aspect of women's health. Preconception, pregnancy, labor, and the postoperative phase are all included in this continuum of care. There are still gaps in maternal healthcare awareness, use, and continuity, especially during preconception and the early postnatal stages, even though India has made great strides in lowering maternal mortality through national health programs and better access to institutional deliveries and antenatal care. The purpose of this study was to evaluate Gujarati women's knowledge, availability, and use of maternal health services, with an emphasis on preconception care, prenatal care, delivery procedures, and postnatal follow-up. METHODOLOGY: The study used a descriptive cross-sectional methodology and included 318 reproductive-age women from semi-urban, urban, and rural areas using a structured pre-validated questionnaire. Both quantitative information about maternal health practices and experiences were gathered through in-person interviews and Google Forms and analyzed using descriptive statistics including frequencies and percentages in Microsoft Excel.
resultsAmong the 318 respondents, 75.5% were aged 18-30 years and 50% resided in rural areas. Awareness regarding preconception health checkups was reported by 71.1% of women, whereas 28.9% lacked such awareness. Antenatal care utilization was high, with 87.1% attending antenatal checkups, the majority receiving tetanus toxoid immunization and iron-folic acid supplementation, and 97.3% undergoing institutional deliveries with skilled birth assistance. However, only 58.2% of women received postnatal care within 48 hours after delivery. Nutritional counseling was reported by 41% of respondents, while 55.2% received breastfeeding counseling. Significant gaps were found in preconception health information, early postnatal follow-up, and emotional support, especially among rural women.
conclusionThe study highlights the need to shift focus from service availability to continuity and quality of maternal care. Strengthening preconception education, ensuring timely postnatal follow-up through community health workers, expanding counseling services, and promoting family engagement are essential to improving maternal and neonatal health outcomes.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
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.