Effective coverage of childbirths in health facilities in Nepal: cross-sectional study combining Demographic and Health Survey 2022 and Health Facility Survey 2021
Cross-sectional study estimates effective coverage of facility-based childbirth in Nepal, suggesting the need for improved quality in emergency obstetric care.
Key Points
Fewer than one in five births occur in facilities with enabling environments for quality care.
Approximately 80% of all births happen in health facilities, but only 12.2% for comprehensive emergency obstetric care.
Combining data from two national surveys provided insight into effective coverage of childbirth services.
The findings highlight the critical need for policymakers to enhance the quality of maternal health services in Nepal.