Women Household Decision Making Power, its Determinants, and Maternal Mortality: A Conceptual Analysis

Abstract

The high level of maternal mortality, particularly in developing countries, has attracted different studies aimed at identifying socioeconomic factors associated with maternal healthcare service utilization. Women status in the form of household decision making power and its determinants are one of these factors explored by various empirical studies. Though significant associations between women household decision making power, its socioeconomic determinants, and maternal healthcare service utilization were revealed, conceptual analysis of these relationships was given less attention in the studies. This study therefore analyzes the conceptual relationships between women household decision making power, its determinants, and how it consequently affect maternal healthcare service utilization and maternal mortality. The study brings to light the conceptual relationship between women household decision making power and maternal mortality for more policy attention, and provides supportive explanations to the findings of the previous empirical studies.