{"id":8705,"date":"2020-06-20T20:03:56","date_gmt":"2020-06-20T14:33:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/?p=8705"},"modified":"2025-06-20T18:25:51","modified_gmt":"2025-06-20T12:55:51","slug":"healthcare-for-pregnant-women-and-its-infrastructure-improvement-in-india","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/healthcare-for-pregnant-women-and-its-infrastructure-improvement-in-india\/","title":{"rendered":"Healthcare for pregnant women and its infrastructure improvement in India"},"content":{"rendered":"<h1 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Healthcare_for_pregnant_women_and_its_infrastructure_improvement_in_India\"><\/span>Healthcare for pregnant women and its infrastructure improvement in India<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h1>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Relevant_For_Sociology_Optional_UPSC\"><\/span>(Relevant For Sociology Optional UPSC)<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<div style=\"width: 810px;\" class=\"wp-video\"><video class=\"wp-video-shortcode\" id=\"video-8705-1\" width=\"810\" height=\"456\" preload=\"metadata\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"video\/mp4\" src=\"https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/final-cse-result-ady.mp4?_=1\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/final-cse-result-ady.mp4\">https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/final-cse-result-ady.mp4<\/a><\/video><\/div>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_68 ez-toc-wrap-center counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-light-blue ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title \" >What's Inside this Blog!<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/healthcare-for-pregnant-women-and-its-infrastructure-improvement-in-india\/#Healthcare_for_pregnant_women_and_its_infrastructure_improvement_in_India\" title=\"Healthcare for pregnant women and its infrastructure improvement in India\">Healthcare for pregnant women and its infrastructure improvement in India<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-2' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/healthcare-for-pregnant-women-and-its-infrastructure-improvement-in-india\/#Relevant_For_Sociology_Optional_UPSC\" title=\"(Relevant For Sociology Optional UPSC)\">(Relevant For Sociology Optional UPSC)<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/healthcare-for-pregnant-women-and-its-infrastructure-improvement-in-india\/#Context\" title=\"Context\">Context<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/healthcare-for-pregnant-women-and-its-infrastructure-improvement-in-india\/#Ignorance\" title=\"Ignorance:\">Ignorance:<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/healthcare-for-pregnant-women-and-its-infrastructure-improvement-in-india\/#Adverse_fallout_on_pregnant_women\" title=\"Adverse fallout on pregnant women:\">Adverse fallout on pregnant women:<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/healthcare-for-pregnant-women-and-its-infrastructure-improvement-in-india\/#Need_to_scrutinise_private_sector\" title=\"Need to scrutinise private sector:\">Need to scrutinise private sector:<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/healthcare-for-pregnant-women-and-its-infrastructure-improvement-in-india\/#Conclusion\" title=\"Conclusion:\">Conclusion:<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-25827 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/Untitled-design-15.jpg\" alt=\"Healthcare for pregnant women by Vikash Ranjan sir at Triumph IAS, UPSC Sociology\u00a0Optional\" width=\"1080\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/Untitled-design-15.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/Untitled-design-15-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/Untitled-design-15-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/Untitled-design-15-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/Untitled-design-15-768x768.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1080px) 100vw, 1080px\" \/><\/p>\n<table style=\"width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; border-style: dotted; border-color: #000000;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 100%;\">\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Context\"><\/span><span style=\"color: #333333; font-size: 28px; font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><strong>Context<\/strong><\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"color: #333333; font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\"><strong>A question that comes to mind is: when the lockdown was suddenly announced and then extended, what exactly was the plan for the millions of women who were\/are due for childbirth?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\">\u2022 Over the last 15 years, the state has been promising maternal well-being to pregnant women provided they turn up at public hospitals during labour, and has been providing a cash incentive to those that have institutional birth.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\">\u2022 It has become almost routine for all pregnant women to reach health facilities during labour.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Ignorance\"><\/span><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\">Ignorance:<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\">\u2022 Elaborate tracking systems have been instituted by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to track every pregnant woman, infant and child until they turn five.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\">\u2022 However, during lockdown, the state appeared to have forgotten those women expected to give birth.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\">\u2022 Even though recent epidemics have identified pregnant women as people being \u2018high risk\u2019, no reference was made this time on the need to provide emergency services for pregnant women.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\">\u2022 Frontline workers were pressed into community surveillance, monitoring and awareness building for COVID 19.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\">\u2022 The public health system was overburdened with handling the pandemic: most secondary and tertiary hospitals were either those designated as COVID-19 facilities or those unequipped with enough PPE kits.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Adverse_fallout_on_pregnant_women\"><\/span><span style=\"color: #333333; font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\">Adverse fallout on pregnant women:<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\">\u2022 The recent news has been providing many glimpses of the stigma and paranoia regarding the virus and its fallout upon pregnant women and infants.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\">\u2022 There was the 20-year-old in Telangana with anaemia and high blood pressure, who died after being turned away by six hospitals. Innumerable other incidents have possibly gone unreported.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\">\u2022 These indicate that in these 12 weeks, the approximately 9,00,000 pregnant women (15% of the six million women giving birth) who needed critical care had to face enormous hurdles to actually obtain treatment at an appropriate hospital.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\">\u2022 Added to this were the women who have had miscarriages or sought abortions: that would be another 45,000 women every single day.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\">\u2022 The government rather belatedly issued a set of guidelines a month after lockdown started, but that only compounded the confusion.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\">\u2022 Pregnant women had to be \u2018recently\u2019 tested and certified COVID-19-negative to enter a \u2018general hospital\u2019 but it was not clear how this can happen once they are in labour, as the test results need a day\u2019s turnaround at the very least.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\">\u2022 The fundamental question here is: when the state compels people to modify their behaviour through an inducement like a cash incentive, doesn\u2019t that put the onus on the state for ensuring effective systems for maternal care?<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Need_to_scrutinise_private_sector\"><\/span><span style=\"color: #333333; font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\">Need to scrutinise private sector:<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\">\u2022 The health policymakers need to acknowledge the shortcoming of an overstretched and under-resourced system in responding to the critical care needs of pregnant women during crises.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\">\u2022 Although 80% doctors and 64% beds are in the private sector, clinics have closed down and private hospitals have stepped back fearing infections, while larger hospitals have begun charging exorbitant amounts.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\">\u2022 The role of the private sector therefore needs to be scrutinised.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\">\u2022 India\u2019s Maternal Mortality Ratio came down to 122 deaths per 1,00,000 live births (SRS 2017), from 167 per 1,00,000 births in 2011-13.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\">\u2022 Much effort and investment over many years have led to this decrease.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\">\u2022 As India struggles to manage the COVID-19 pandemic, the hard-won gains of the last 15 years can be erased with one stroke.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Conclusion\"><\/span><span style=\"color: #333333; font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\">Conclusion:<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\">\u2022 The pandemic has amplified many inequalities and shows up sharply the state\u2019s abdication of responsibility for prevention of lives lost, putting the entire responsibility of health protection on the individual citizen.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\">\u2022 In order to win back the trust of pregnant women, the state will have to account publicly for how the millions of deliveries took place; or how abortions, miscarriages and childbirth complications were handled.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\">\u2022 Improved maternal health was the lynchpin around which public health systems had been strengthened over the last 15 years.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;\">\u2022 As the country slowly emerges from a total lockdown into a longer-term management strategy, it is time to consider doing things differently for improving maternal well-being.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h3><span class=\"amp-wp-303d451\" data-amp-original-style=\"font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;\">To Read more topics like Healthcare for pregnant women and its infrastructure improvement in India in Public Posts, visit: <a href=\"https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/?amp=1\">www.triumphias.com\/blogs<\/a><\/span><\/h3>\n<h3>Read more Blogs:<\/h3>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"VQVQhFnHiH\"><p><a href=\"https:\/\/triumphias.com\/blog\/legalizing-msp-opportunities-and-challenges\/\">Legalizing MSP: Opportunities and Challenges | Sociology Optional Coaching | Vikash Ranjan Classes | Triumph IAS | UPSC Sociology Optional<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; 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