Autonomy and maternal health-seeking among slum populations of Mumbai

Abstract

Data from a retrospective survey of autonomy and maternal care seeking in the eastern slums of Mumbai shows that women who have recently delivered have high levels of autonomy. Components of autonomy such as freedom of movement, ability to visit natal kin and access to resources were identified using a latent class analysis of survey responses. Despite high proportions of autonomous women, substantial minorities remain in low autonomy categories. Uptake of maternal services was found to be constrained for those women with low levels of empowerment. Regression analysis suggests that autonomy is as important as education and gravida for maternal health-seeking