The level of utilization and associated factors of WHO recommended antenatal care visits in South Asian countries

Background: Antenatal care can play an important role in reducing the death of both mothers and children. This study was designed to find out the determinants of world health organization recommended antenatal care visits in six South Asian countries to achieve the targets for Sustainable Development Goal. Methods: This study used recent demographic and health survey data from six South Asian countries such as Afghanistan (2015), Bangladesh (2017-18), India (2015-16), Maldives (2016-17), Nepal (2016), and Pakistan (2047-18). Descriptive statistics were calculated for the distribution and prevalence of antenatal care visits. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regressions were used to investigate the influencing factors of antenatal care visits. Results: 71,862 women aged 15 to 49 years were included in this study, and…