This field-based study evaluates the impact of free maternal healthcare services on the healthcare-seeking behaviour of 125 pregnant women in six villages of Uttar Pradesh. The 87 Muslim and 38 non-Muslim women participating in this project appreciated the antenatal and postnatal care processes on offer. Yet, various government efforts to encourage women to give birth in government hospitals to comply with international benchmarks on reduction of maternal mortality rates were unsuccessful. The study explores the various reasons for the strategic choices made by these rural women, who continue to favour home-based delivery. The findings raise policy implications about how state financing of maternal healthcare provisions in India is to be delivered, in the best possible manner, at local levels.

中文翻译：

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北方邦农村孕产妇保健：免费服务对妇女求医行为的影响

这项实地研究评估了免费孕产妇保健服务对北方邦六个村庄 125 名孕妇就医行为的影响。参与该项目的 87 名穆斯林和 38 名非穆斯林妇女对所提供的产前和产后护理过程表示赞赏。然而，政府鼓励妇女在政府医院分娩以符合降低孕产妇死亡率的国际基准的各种努力都没有成功。该研究探讨了这些农村妇女做出战略选择的各种原因，她们继续支持在家分娩。研究结果提出了有关如何在地方层面以最佳方式提供印度孕产妇医疗保健供应的国家融资的政策含义。