International Journal of Health Sciences and Research Vol.12; Issue: 1; January 2022 Website: www.ijhsr.org Original Research Article ISSN: 2249-9571 International Journal of Health Sciences and Research (www.ijhsr.org) 236 Vol.12; Issue: 1; January 2022 Utilization of Free Maternity Services among Reproductive Age Women of Chepang Community in Nepal Shusma Acharya 1 , Durga Bista 2 1 Master in Nursing (MN) Women’s Health and Development, Lecturer Manmohan Memorial Institute of Health Sciences, Soalteemode Kathmandu, Nepal 2 Bachelor in Nursing (BN), Staff Nurse in Nepal National Hospital, Kalanki Kathmandu, Nepal Corresponding Author: Shusma Acharya DOI: https://doi.org/10.52403/ijhsr.20220132 ABSTRACT Background: Approximately 287,000 women died globally from causes related to pregnancy and childbirth in 2010. Nepal is among the countries with high maternal mortality rates in South Asia region with estimated Maternal Mortality Rate 239/100,000 live births. Underutilization of health services is one factor contributing to high maternal mortality rate. In Nepal, 81% of births take place at home without skilled health providers. Many complications related to childbirth can be prevented by utilization of maternal health services. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out among 71 respondents from May 15, 2019 to November 16, 2019 and it took by using total enumeration sampling technique. Structured self developed questionnaire was used to collect data using interview technique. Data was analyzed via SPSS software version 16 by using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: Utilization of free maternity services was extremely low among Chepang women of Western Region of Nepal. With regards to antenatal utilization during their latest pregnancy was 73.2%. Only22.5% of the respondents had given birth of their baby in health institution rest of them delivered at home. Majority of the respondents did not utilize postnatal services (95.8%) whereas only 4.2% respondents utilized postnatal services. There was statistically significant association between utilization of ANC services and age (p=0.000), income (p= .006), education of the respondent (p=0.001) and religion of the respondents (p= 0.044). Similarly, there was statistically significant association between utilization of delivery services and age (p=0.29), education of the respondent (p=0.007) but there is no significant association between utilization of postnatal services and selected demographic variables. Conclusion: The study concluded that maternity services utilization is extremely low among Chepang women of Nepal. There was significant association between age, educational status and religion. Therefore, the government and non government organizations effort on health awareness programme are essential to maximize the utilization of maternity services. Key words: Antenatal, Delivery, Chepang, Postnatal, Utilization INTRODUCTION Free maternity services are the services that provides during antenatal, natal and postnatal period. It also includes incentives for four ANC visit and transportation incentives for institutional delivery. A cash payment of NRs. 400 is made to women on completion of four ANC visits at the 4, 6, 8 and 9 months of pregnancy. A cash payment is made to women immediately following institutional delivery: NPR. 1,500 in mountain, NPR. 1,000 in hill and NPR. 500 in Terai region. [1] Iron capsule and TT vaccine is provided