ABSTRACT
PIP: The study aim was to estimate the prevalence of high-risk pregnant women during May and November 1986 in the New Modikhana area (semi-urban), Pune, India. The study also aimed to determine the extent of use of prenatal health services. Data was collected from 159 married, pregnant women reporting amenorrhea of over 12 weeks duration. The criteria for determining high-risk pregnant women was based on World Health Organization specifications. 44.65% (71 pregnant women) were identified as high-risk, of whom 73.24% (52) were using health services. 26.76% (19 women) were not using any health facilities. 31.81% had anemia, 28.12% had a birth interval of less than 2 years, 25% had a systemic disease, 25% were adolescents, and 20% were over 35 years old. Statistically significant differences by maternal age and use of health services was not confirmed, although use was higher among women under 20 years old. The highest use of services was among women with a secondary school education or higher (90.90%). No statistically significant differences in health service use appeared between illiterate women and women educated up to the middle standard. Increased education of the husband or socioeconomic status measures were not found to show statistically significant differences in health services utilization. Women in socioeconomic class I had 100% use, compared to 71.87% use by class II women, and 62.86% use by class III women. 83.87% of women in their third trimester (at 7 months and after) used health services, compared to 65% in the second trimester. 84.61% of the high-risk pregnant women used services at the local military hospital affiliated with the Armed Forces Medical College, which was 4 km away. Only 15.39% used services within 1 km at the Cantanment General Hospital. 63.15% (12) of non-use of facilities was motivated by ignorance of existing facilities.^ieng
