Women's Empowerment and Reproductive Health: Experience from Chapai Nawabganj District in Bangladesh

This study investigate the various issues of empowerment and reproductive behavior of married women such as health status, decision making of reproductive behavior etc in some selected areas of Chapai Nawabganj district, using the information from 500 ever married women within the reproductive span (15–49 years). Findings reveal that women are found less concerned and deprived to take decision about their own health as well as their child health. The data shows that 55.0 percent women received antenatal care during their last pregnancy but only 4.5 percent has participated in decision making about their antenatal care. At postnatal period, 51.65 percent and 58.78 percent women took treatment for themselves and their child respectively but only 5.14 percents has participated in decision making about their postnatal care. The logistic analysis shows that respondent's current age, education, occupation, husband's education, per capita yearly income, assistance during delivery and decision for household affairs are mostly associated with antenatal caster seeking behavior of married women.