Does reproductive health care services reduce the risk of neonatal death among Hindus, a major religious minority of Bangladesh?

Lutfun Nahar, East West Center
Abdur Razzaque, ICDDR,B: Centre for Health and Population Research
AHM Golam Mustafa, ICDDR,B: Centre for Health and Population Research

Reproductive health care service utilization and its effect on neonatal mortality of religious minority has been examined in this paper using recent pregnancy history data of the Matlab health and demographic surveillance system of ICDDR, B. Since 1977, ICDDR, B has introduced an intensive reproductive health care services in half of the area known as “ICDDR, B area” and the rest half as the “Govt. area”. Analyses of the trends in neonatal mortality and results of Multivariate analysis (controlling biosocial and socio-cultural factors) confirm that neonatal mortality is not different between two religious groups (Hindus and Muslims) in the ICDDR,B area where there were health interventions but significantly higher among Hindus in the Govt. area where there were no health intervention. Other factors elevating the risk of neonatal death are breech presentation of baby, baby not cried after delivery and young woman age, and that decreasing risk is women’s education.