Multi-dimensional poverty and maternal care utilization in Nigeria

Introduction: This study examined the influence of Multi-Dimensional Poverty Index (MPI) on the utilization of maternal healthcare services in Nigeria. Methods: Secondary data from the 2023-24 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) were analyzed. Two key indicators of maternal healthcare utilization were considered: [1] a minimum of eight antenatal care (ANC) visits, and [2] place of delivery (POD). Binary logistic regression was employed to identify the predictors of at least eight ANC visits and institutional delivery. Results: The result showed that 38.1% of the sampled women were multi-dimensionally poor. Additionally, 19% of women reported having at least eight ANC visits during pregnancy, while 42.5% delivered their most recent child in a health facility. The multivariate analysis showed that women who were multi-dimensionally poor were significantly less likely to attend ANC up to eight times and to deliver in a health facility. Conclusion: These results underscore the importance of addressing socioeconomic inequalities among Nigerian households to improve maternal healthcare utilization. Hence, multi-pronged approach should be adopted to improve household socioeconomic conditions in Nigeria.