Determinants of Neonatal and Under-five Mortality in Kenya: Do Antenatal and Skilled Delivery Care Services Matter?

Abstract

Kenya lags behind its East Africa partners in reducing childhood mortality. Childhood mortality can be prevented or reduced if women have access to quality care during conception, pregnancy, and in intra-partum and post-natal periods. In Kenya, few women use adequate antenatal care services and many still deliver at home. Using the Kenya Demographic and Health Survey data, this study investigates the effects of adequate use of antenatal and skilled delivery care services on neonatal and under-five mortality. Two-stage residual inclusion and control function approaches are used. The main finding is that adequate antenatal care and skilled assistance during delivery reduce neonatal and under-five mortality. Thus, policies that promote use of maternal health services such as increasing women's education and reducing average distances to health facilities should be implemented.