The paper examined the challenges of women access to maternal health services in Nigeria: implications
for community development. Maternal health refers to the health of women during pregnancy, childbirth,
and the postpartum period. It encompasses the health care dimensions of family planning, preconception,
prenatal, and postnatal care in order to reduce maternal morbidity and mortality. The paper explained the
concept of maternal mortality and also highlighted it causes. The challenges of women in accessing the
maternal health care services were also discussed which include amongst others inadequate number of
trained health care personnel, decision to seek for medical care, lack of education and distance of the
health facility. However, implications for community development were discussed which include based
on the challenges identified recommendations were given; to sensitize the community on the need for
advocacy and lobby to the authorities for more trained and qualified health personnel, mobilize
community members on the need to allow women to attend health facility for any emergency or
need arises, to create awareness on the need to have community volunteers who will transport
women on emergency to the nearest health facility.