Utilization of Care During Pregnancy in Rural Guatemala: Does Obstetrical Need Matters*

This study examines factors associated with the use of biomedical care during pregnancy in Guatemala, focusing on the extent to which complications in an ongoing or previous pregnancy affect a woman’s decisions to seek care. The findings, based on multilevel models, suggest that obstetrical need as well as demographic, social, and cultural factors are important predictors of pregnancy care. In contrast, measures of availability and access to health services have modest effects. The results also suggest the importance of unobserved variables – such as quality of care – in explaining women’s decisions about pregnancy care.