Women Empowerment and Safe Motherhood Practices among rural women

Abstract

Background: Women’s empowerment is increasingly recognized as a determinant of maternal healthcare utilization, yet evidence from rural Bangladesh remains limited. This study examined the association between women’s empowerment and safe motherhood practices among rural mothers.

Methods & materials: A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted with 400 rural mothers in five villages of Kolakopa union, Nawabganj upazila. Data were collected via semi-structured questionnaires through face-to-face interviews using purposive sampling technique and analyzed using IBM SPSS 26 version with results presented through frequencies, percentages, charts, and tests.

Results: The women in the study had a mean age of 28.61 years (±5.763 SD). Most respondents were housewives (98.3%) with secondary-level education (42.5%) and small family size (82.5%). Nearly two-thirds (63.5%) of the women had low empowerment, while only 12.8% were highly empowered. Key safe motherhood indicators showed that less than half (43.5%) completed four or more ANC visits, although over two-thirds delivered in (74.3%) health facilities with skilled birth attendants (74.5%) and received postnatal care within 48 hours (70.3%). Women’s empowerment was significantly associated with the use of antenatal care, institutional delivery, skilled birth attendance, and timely postnatal care (all p < 0.001). Sociodemographic factors—particularly education, household income, and age at marriage—were also strongly associated with both empowerment and maternal healthcare use. (p < 0.001)

Conclusion: Findings of the study shows that Higher women’s empowerment is linked to greater use of safe motherhood services among rural women. Improving women’s education, economic participation, and decision-making can help reduce preventable maternal deaths.

JOPSOM 2025; 44(2): 62-72