title: Antenatal care use in Brazil and India: scale, outreach and socioeconomic inequality.
abstract: This paper investigates the extent of socioeconomic inequalities in antenatal care use and related medical procedures in Brazil and India, which represent transition economies with contrasting geographical and sociocultural composition and health care provision. Concentration indices and regression analyses applied on recent Demographic Health Survey data reveal high and proportionate distribution of antenatal coverage in Brazil, whereas the Indian case present problems of both scale and equity. Inequalities in access to four or more antenatal visits are significantly pronounced in India, and in Brazil the differences are significant only for those who had six or more visits. Brazil's universal healthcare model which proved effective in promoting equitable distribution of antenatal care could be implemented in India. Future interventions should emphasis quality of care in monitoring essential antenatal services especially targeting the poor and deprived communities.
authors: Centro de Desenvolvimento e Planejamento Regional de Minas Gerais, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Avenida Antonio Carlos, 6627 FACE-UFMG, Belo Horizonte, MG 31270-901, Brazil. mviegas@cedeplar.ufmg.br
authors: Mônica
authors: M
authors: Viegas Andrade
authors: Kenya
authors: K
authors: Noronha
authors: Abhishek
authors: A
authors: Singh
authors: Cristina Guimarães
authors: CG
authors: Rodrigues
authors: Sabu S
authors: SS
authors: Padmadas
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012923:Social Class; D055815:Young Adult