The reduction of Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) remains a global health issue. Although major progress has been achieved in the past 15 years, the ratio is still high, especially in Low Middle-Income Countries. In the Southeast Asian region, most of the countries have not reached the Sustainable Development Goals target yet. Although the countries have several similarities in many aspects, such as community characteristics, cultural context, health systems, and geographical proximity, the MMR in the region presents interesting variations. The scope of this systematic review is to explore published literature on the utilization of maternal health services at the community healthcare centre setting in Southeast Asian countries. The databases PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar were searched systematically to identify quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods studies published in 2000-2020. A total of 1876 records were found, out of which 353 full text were screened. Finally, 27 studies on utilization of maternal health services met the inclusion criteria and were selected for analysis from seven Southeast Asian countries: Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, The Philippines, Timor Leste and Vietnam. Most of the articles focused on the utilization of maternal health services at primary health care setting. Several themes on maternal health services utilization in the countries emerged, including cultural and socioeconomic factors contributed to the utilization of maternal health services, factors associated with the low utilization of ANC, determinants affected place of delivery and delivery assistance choice. The utilization of maternal health services at primary healthcare setting in seven Southeast Asian countries was identified in a small number of studies. Sociocultural barriers and disparities of health services provision are the major factors associated with low utilization of the services. Further research on strengthening the role of primary healthcare in maternal health services provision is required.

To explore the experiences of midwives in Indonesia on the provision of maternal health services during the COVID-19 pandemic. A qualitative descriptive study using focus group discussions was undertaken. A conventional content analysis was used to analyze the data. Coding categories were generated from the transcripts. Twenty-two midwives from five community health centers of three regions in the Province of Jambi, Indonesia were included. The interviewees shared similar barriers and facilitators in delivering the services, including the unavailability of adequate protective equipment, the limitation of the number of services, and dealing with the new public health measures related to the COVID-19. Overall, midwives demonstrated a continued commitment to provide maternal health services during the pandemic. Significant changes in service delivery have been made to comply with pandemic related restrictions. Despite the unprecedentedly difficult working environment, the midwives continue to provide adequate services to the community by implementing a strict health protocol. Findings from this study contribute to a better understanding of how the quality of the services changed, as well as how new challenges can be addressed and positive changes can be reinforced.

Background/Objective: The utilization of maternal health services at the primary healthcare level is still considered an effective approach despite the critical role in improving maternal health outcomes. The study aimed to assess the influence of sociodemographic characteristics and interpersonal support on the use of maternal health services in three regions of the Province of Jambi, Indonesia. Methods: Using a mixed-methods sequential explanatory design, a quantitative survey of 432 women and qualitative focus group discussions with nine families were conducted. Quantitative data were analyzed using bivariate analysis, while the qualitative data were examined through conventional content analysis. Results: The research results show no significant association between sociodemographic factors (education, employment, residence) and the use of maternal health services for antenatal care and delivery. Direct support, such as accompaniment by spouses, and indirect support, including emotional encouragement and shared knowledge, were pivotal in influencing women’s decisions to seek care. Conclusions: Targeted interventions focusing on improving social support, addressing service accessibility barriers, and raising awareness about the benefits of community health centers are essential to enhancing maternal health outcomes. Policymakers and healthcare providers should integrate family-centered strategies to ensure women receive adequate maternal healthcare.

The Maternal Mortality Ratio in Indonesia has remained high, making it a national priority. The low utilization of maternal health services at community health centers is considered to be one of the reasons for poor maternal health status. This study aims to assess the influence of sociodemographic factors on utilization of maternal health services. The analysis was completed using binary and logistic regression to examine the association between sociodemographic variables and maternal health services utilization. A total of 436 women participated in the survey. In the multivariable analysis, age, education, ethnicity, parity status, distance to health centers and insurance ownership were associated with the utilization of maternal health services. Ethnicity (OR, 2.1; 95% confidence interval, 1.4–3.3) and distance to the CHC (OR, 0.5; 95% confidence interval, 0.3–0.8) were significantly associated with ANC visits. The association between parity and place of delivery was statistically significant (OR, 0.8; 95% confidence interval, 0.5–1.4). A positive association between basic health insurance ownership and PNC services was reported (OR, 0.3; 95% confidence interval, 0.1–0.6). Several sociodemographic factors were positively associated with the utilization of maternal health services at the CHCs. The required measures to improve the utilization of maternal health services at the CHCs level have to take into consideration the sociodemographic factors of reproductive age women.