Arumpac, N. A. (2014). Improving maternal health care utilization through health systems approach in Pantar, Lanao del Norte (Unpublished master's thesis). Graduate School of Public and Development Management, Development Academy of the Philippines.

Graduate School of Public and Development Management Health Systems and Development Batch 4 Thesis (MPM-HSD)--Development Academy of the Philippines.

In line with the constitutional mandate of making health services available to all, the Philippine government has commited to achieve to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015. Of all the MDGs, MDG 5 - to improve maternal health has the least progress. Improvements to curb maternal deaths in the country remains slow and patchy. Pregnancy-related deaths were among the the leading causes of mortality in Pantar, Lanao del Norte.This study was conducted to assess the maternal health care utilization, the factors that influence them and the interventions that are employed to improve maternal health care utilization. Document review revealed low utilization of maternal health services as indicated by very low indicators on prenatal care, facility-based delivery, skilled birth attendance and postnatal care. Descriptive cross-sectional analysis was the main tool used in this study. The survey showed that utilization of maternal health care services varied among women. Low utilization of maternal health care services was found among women who are older, those with lower levels of education, those with lower incomes and also those with higher parity. One of the major constraints also in the utilization of maternal health care services was the unavailability and inaccassebility of the facility, poor services offered at the Rural Health Unit and the poor knowledge of the women on the maternal health programs. It was also revealed in this study that it was not only the midwives who are the main providers of maternal health care but the traditional birth attendants as well. These problems were addressed by collaboration with stakeholders - the local government unit, the barangay council, community and other lead agencies. A birthing facility was constructed and a policy prohibiting traditional birth attendants to conduct deliveries was crafted. Embodied in the policy are the limitations of the duties of the traditional birth attendants in the continuum of care of the mothers and the referral-based incentives. Also, health education was conducted through Information and Education Campaigns and bench counselling. An increase in the number of women seeking antenatal care after the Information and Education Campaigns was noted and deliveries in the facility has also been started. Addressing the gaps in the health systems geared towards improving the maternal health service delivery led to increase utilization of such services.