Maternal Health Care Services And Infant Mortality In Kenya

Abstract

Infant mortality is an important estimate used to measure the quality of healthcare service, welfare and socioeconomic status of a nation. Across the globe, remarkable strides have been made in decreasing child mortality rates over the last ten years. However, despite these strides, infant mortality remains high in developing countries, Kenya included. Policymakers in Kenya consider access to and utilization of antenatal care (ANC) and postnatal care (PNC) as some of the key policy tools that are critical in reducing the likelihood of infant mortality rates. Several policy initiatives such as universal health care (UHC), Linda mama and Beyond Zero initiatives have been adopted to enhance access and utilization of ANC and PNC as a strategy of reducing infant mortality rates. However, despite these efforts, infant mortality rates continue to be a major problem in Kenya. Because of this, this study sought to analyze the effects of maternal health care services, ANC, and PNC on infant mortality in Kenya. The study adopted the logit regression model as its econometric approach and used the 2014 Kenya Demographic Household Survey (KDHS) data. The study found that adolescent mothers attending at least one ANC visit and PNC significantly reduced infant mortality experienced by adolescent mothers. Additionally, the study established that adolescent mothers who delivered via cesarean section were more likely to experience infant mortality than those who delivered normally. On the socioeconomic factors, the study found that adolescent mothers with primary education were more likely to report infant mortality. Conversely, infants of second-order birth were found to be more likely to die during the first year of birth as compared to the first birth order children. Based on these findings, the study proposes coordinated efforts and interventions from the community development, education, and other stakeholders where comprehensive adolescent reproductive health services will be developed with the full support by the government and other stakeholders to help in turning the tide and protecting the young girls from teen pregnancies thus reducing infant mortality in Kenya.