This study aims to estimate determinants of MM in selected districts of Punjab. Data have been extracted from 196 families from three respective districts. Education, safe water availability, sanitation, health infrastructure, immunization card, family size, residence, household income, and ANC visits are taken as independent variables. Education, family size, poor and middle-income class variables had a positive and significant effect on the MM in DG Khan. This study revealed that education, safe water, and income show positive and significant impact on MM in Chakwal district. While, sanitation variable, area of residence and health infrastructure shown negative and significant impact health. The study found that education, household income and family size had a positive and significant effect on the MM in Sialkot. While, Safe water availability, sanitation, health infrastructure and immunization card have negative and insignificant effect on female health. Government should give more strength to integrated reproductive and newborn child health (IRMNCH) program.

This qualitative study conducted at District Lodhran, Punjab, Pakistan adopted a constructivist approach with an aim to investigate the social-cultural factors accelerating maternal mortality. The primary data was collected through in-depth interviews from 40 family members of deceased mothers and four focus group discussions, and the information for the secondary data pertaining to the victims of maternal death recorded in District Lodhran for the year 2016-17 was collected from the Health Department. The study concluded that there are various social and cultural practices, i.e. the practice of early marriages, repeated pregnancies with the wish of having a male child, treatment and living of pregnant women in the joint family system, and son’s preferences are the causative factors behind maternal mortality. The study recommends inculcation of awareness, especially among gestating women, regarding maternal health and associated factors, besides civil society’s measures for improvement and the government’s special attention towards the issue.