Authors’ response

Critical reading of our article is appreciated. At a time when universal health care is being mentioned at the various national and international forum, our article depicts the poor state of ANC utilization among the tribal women in India1. There are other studies also echoing the same message23.

Various studies have been carried out to associate causal factors and determinants of utilization of the Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) services. In our study, ANC registration and pregnancy testing were identified as the key determinants for complete ANC among the tribal women. Additionally, the role of family members in motivating women to attend the ANC clinic was emphasised in the States of Rajasthan and Odisha (Table 2A)1. Accessibility, however, in our analysis did not emerge as a determinant of ANC utilization. Factors such as cultural practices and those related to service delivery may play an important role in ANC utilization; this, however, was beyond the scope of our quantitative analysis.

Diversity of the nation in the ANC utilization was evident from the proportion of complete ANC in the four selected States and factors associated with it (Table I)1. This points towards the need to have State and district specific programmes for the improvement in ANC services utilization and maternal health.