Context: Postnatal care is one of the most important maternal health-care services. Adequate utilization of postnatal care can help reduce maternal and infant mortality. Poverty, illiteracy, gender bias and availability of medical facilities influence health care utilization. Utilization of Postnatal health care services is under- researched in India. Objective: To study the utilization pattern of postnatal health care services among rural mothers and factors influencing the utilization.  Materials and Methods:  A community based cross-sectional study, involving 497 mothers of Handignur Primary Health Centre of Belgaum district, who had delivered from June 2007 to May 2008. Results: Only 2.4% of mothers had three postnatal visits, 53.3% had 1-2 postnatal visits and 46.7% mothers did not receive any postnatal care. Literacy level, socioeconomic status and parity of the mother were significantly associated with the utilization of services. Conclusion: Utilization of postnatal health care services was unacceptably low as majority of the mothers were unaware of the need of postnatal services. The findings reveal the need for strengthening of postnatal services to improve the maternal health.

Keywords: Health Services; Mothers; Postnatal; Rural; Utilisation.