Factors Associated with Maternal Healthcare Utilization Before and After Delivery Among Migrant Pregnant Women in China: An Observational Study

BACKGROUND: Effective healthcare utilization throughout pregnancy is essential in protecting mother and child health, but the maternal healthcare utilization and its associated factors among migrant women are still underexplored. METHODS: The data came from the 2018 China Migrants Dynamic Survey. Our analysis included 6337 pregnant migrant women. Prenatal healthcare utilization comprises receiving at least 5 antenatal care (ANC) times and establishing the maternal health record within the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. Postnatal healthcare utilization refers to whether an individual received a postpartum visit and a physical health examination within 28 days and 42 days following delivery. A multivariate binary logit model was employed to investigate the factors related to maternal healthcare utilization. RESULTS: 67.15% of the 6337 participants established health records within the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, and 88.35% received at least five ANC visits. 76.88% and 84.20% of migrant pregnant women received a postpartum visit and a health examination respectively. Age was positively correlated with receiving at least five ANC visits (OR:1.245, 95% CI: 1.038–1.493), a postpartum visit within 28 days (OR: 1.272, 95% CI: 1.107–1.460) and a physical examination within 42 days after delivery (OR=1.174, 95% CI: 1.002–1.376). Education, household income, health insurance and maternal health education were positively associated with prenatal and postnatal healthcare utilization (P<0.05). Number of Children negatively correlated with ANC times (OR: 0.742, 95% CI: 0.613–0.898) and receiving health examination after delivery (OR: 0.720, 95% CI: 0.610–0.849). CONCLUSION: There is still potential for improvement in the maternal healthcare utilization, particularly in postnatal healthcare. Strengthening the follow-up, focusing on those who are younger, have lower socioeconomic status, and are members of ethnic minorities, and continuing to strengthen maternal health education for them can promote the maternal healthcare utilization before and after delivery.