| Summary: | The reproductive health problems of migrant women are a growing concern, especially in developing countries. The empirical literature indicates that migration characteristics (e.g., selection, adaptation and disruption) and migrant’s socio-demographic backgrounds are the potential pathway through which migration can affect reproductive health care services utilization. This study aimed to examine the effect of migration on women’s reproductive health care service utilization and to identify the major barriers that affect migrant women’s access to quality reproductive health care services. The study aim and objectives were achieved using two studies. Study one comprises a secondary analysis of the 2005 Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey (EDHS). The EDHS was administered to women aged 15-49 years and a total of 14,070 women were interviewed and study two was a primary survey conducted in Dabat rural areas and Gondar town. A total of 1800 women were interviewed: 500 women from Dabat rural areas and 1300 women from Gondar town. Both surveys were employed a cross-sectional survey design. The two studies found that rural to urban migrants were relatively lower in knowledge and use of reproductive health care services compared to urban natives, but more likely to know and use of services than rural natives. The primary study also found that among migrant women, those who registered as kebele residents were more likely to know of, or utilize contraceptives and maternal health care services compared with non-registered migrants. To ensure the reproductive health care access of migrants, the urban kebele administrative offices should revise the policies that demand migrants to be registered as a kebele residents and having a kebele identification card to be eligible for social, economic and health care benefits. Therefore, the policy makers should target the disadvantaged groups of migrants to provide equal opportunities to access health care services.
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