Uttar Pradesh’s robust initiatives, including free antenatal care and cash incentives, have significantly reduced maternal mortality rates. Programs like PMSMA and JSY ensure quality healthcare access, while ASHA workers bridge gaps in rural areas. Despite progress, challenges like inadequate infrastructure and awareness persist, demanding sustained efforts to safeguard mothers and newborns.
Uttar Pradesh Enhances Maternal Health Support for Expectant Mothers
Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populous state, has made significant strides in improving maternal healthcare, addressing the critical needs of pregnant women through a combination of government schemes and grassroots efforts. The state’s Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) has seen a notable decline, with the latest Sample Registration System (SRS) data for 2020-22 reporting a national MMR of 88 per 100,000 live births, a significant improvement from 130 in 2014-16. Uttar Pradesh has contributed to this progress through targeted interventions, though specific state-level MMR figures remain variable due to regional disparities.
The cornerstone of UP’s maternal health strategy is the Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA), launched in 2016, which provides free, comprehensive antenatal care to pregnant women in their second and third trimesters on the 9th of every month at designated public health facilities. The Extended PMSMA (e-PMSMA), introduced in 2022, focuses on high-risk pregnancies by offering financial incentives for additional check-ups and tracking until safe delivery. This initiative has led to the identification of thousands of high-risk cases, enabling timely interventions to prevent complications like haemorrhage and hypertensive disorders, which account for over 30% of maternal deaths in India.
Another pivotal program is the Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram (JSSK), rolled out in 2011, ensuring free delivery, including caesarean sections, diagnostics, drugs, and transport for pregnant women and sick infants up to one year in public health facilities. This has significantly boosted institutional deliveries in UP, with the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5, 2019-21) reporting an increase in institutional deliveries to 88.6% from 78.9% in NFHS-4 (2015-16). The scheme has been instrumental in closing the urban-rural divide, with 75% of rural births now supervised compared to 89% in urban areas.
The Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY), a conditional cash transfer scheme, further incentivizes institutional deliveries among economically disadvantaged women. By providing financial assistance, JSY has increased healthcare access, particularly in rural UP, where poverty and lack of awareness often hinder timely medical care. The program has contributed to a 77% reduction in maternal mortality since 2005, outpacing the global average of 43%.
Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) play a critical role in UP’s maternal health ecosystem. These community health workers, numbering over a million nationwide, provide doorstep services, including antenatal check-ups, counseling, and referrals. In UP, ASHAs have been pivotal in reaching remote and marginalized communities, ensuring early registration for antenatal care (ANC). For instance, in Surgana block, 99% of pregnant women registered for ANC in their first trimester in 2024, a testament to the effectiveness of ASHA-led door-to-door campaigns.
Despite these advancements, challenges persist. Rural UP faces a shortage of health sub-centres and obstetricians, with Gujarat’s 2012 RHS Bulletin highlighting similar issues, suggesting a broader national problem. Only nine obstetricians were available against a demand for 318 in Gujarat’s community health centres, a gap likely mirrored in UP. Additionally, postnatal care remains underutilized, with only 10% of women returning for check-ups post-delivery, according to health workers in Delhi’s Dhansa village. Conditions like gestational diabetes and urinary incontinence, which can become lifelong issues, often go unaddressed due to limited awareness and training among ASHA workers.
Nutritional deficiencies also pose a significant hurdle. Anaemia affects nearly 60% of pregnant women in India, contributing to 25% of maternal deaths. UP’s efforts to integrate nutritional support through Village Health Sanitation and Nutrition Days (VHSNDs) have helped, but tribal and low-income women still fare worse in nutritional indicators. The state’s collaboration with the Ministry of Women and Child Development aims to address this through better food distribution and biofortification.
The Pradhan Mantri Matrutva Vandan Yojana (PMMVY) has been effective in UP, with districts like Chandrapur topping implementation charts by providing healthy food to pregnant and lactating mothers, reducing maternal and child mortality. Awareness campaigns, such as the one launched on May 1, further promote secure maternity services, though gaps in public knowledge about schemes like PMSMA and JSSK remain.
Technological interventions are also making a mark. The Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) portal enables name-based tracking of pregnant women, ensuring seamless ANC, institutional delivery, and postnatal care. In Punjab, a pilot mHealth intervention improved maternal health knowledge among 135 postpartum women, suggesting potential for similar tech-driven solutions in UP.
Uttar Pradesh’s multi-pronged approach, combining financial incentives, community outreach, and technology, has positioned it as a leader in maternal health progress. However, addressing infrastructure deficits, enhancing postnatal care, and raising awareness about long-term pregnancy-related conditions are critical to sustaining this momentum and achieving the Sustainable Development Goal of an MMR below 70 by 2030.
Disclaimer: This article is based on recent reports, government data, and news sources, including the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5), Sample Registration System (SRS), and WHO reports. Information is subject to change as new data emerges. Readers are advised to verify details with official health authorities for the latest updates.