“Uttar Pradesh launches innovative maternal health programs, including expanded ASHA visits, free diagnostics, and nutrition support, aiming to reduce maternal mortality and improve care for expectant mothers.”
Uttar Pradesh Enhances Maternal Healthcare with Targeted Programs
Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populous state, has introduced a series of initiatives to strengthen maternal health services, addressing the pressing need to reduce maternal mortality and improve care for expectant and new mothers. The state government, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, has rolled out programs under the National Health Mission (NHM) to ensure comprehensive care during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postnatal period. These efforts align with India’s commitment to achieving the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target of reducing the Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) to below 70 per 100,000 live births by 2030.
A key component of these initiatives is the optimization of postnatal care, launched in June 2023. Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) now conduct six home visits for institutional deliveries and seven for home deliveries, focusing on early detection of high-risk conditions in postpartum mothers. These visits, part of the Home-Based Newborn Care (HBNC) program, aim to ensure healthy outcomes by the 45th day post-delivery. ASHAs are incentivized for prompt detection, referral, and treatment of high-risk cases, enhancing the quality of care in rural and underserved areas.
The Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA), a flagship program, continues to provide fixed-day antenatal care on the 9th of every month for women in their second and third trimesters. The Extended-PMSMA (E-PMSMA) has introduced additional clinic days and three follow-up visits for high-risk pregnancies, supported by financial incentives. Services include specialist check-ups, essential blood tests, and ultrasounds, ensuring early identification and management of complications. In Uttar Pradesh, where healthcare access remains a challenge in rural regions, these measures are critical.
To address nutritional deficiencies, a major contributor to maternal and infant mortality, the state has integrated maternal nutrition into its healthcare framework. Programs like the Pradhan Mantri Matrutva Vandan Yojana (PMMVY) provide healthy food to pregnant and lactating mothers, reducing malnutrition-related risks. A recent study highlighted that malnutrition contributes to 68% of child deaths in India, underscoring the importance of such interventions. Uttar Pradesh has also established Nutrition Rehabilitation Centres (NRCs) to support mothers and newborns, particularly those at risk of low birth weight, which accounts for 45.5% of neonatal deaths in the first month.
Referral services have been strengthened to ensure timely access to care. The state has implemented a network of ambulances for basic patient care transportation, focusing on rural areas. Public-private partnership models have been adopted to enhance the efficiency of these services, ensuring pregnant women and sick infants receive prompt medical attention. This is particularly vital in Uttar Pradesh, where geographical and infrastructural challenges often delay healthcare access.
The Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY), a conditional cash transfer scheme launched in 2005, continues to promote institutional deliveries. In Uttar Pradesh, the program has significantly increased supervised births, with 75% of rural deliveries now attended by skilled health professionals, compared to 89% in urban areas. The Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram (JSSK) complements this by providing free drugs, diagnostics, transportation, and blood transfusions for pregnant women and sick infants up to one year old in public health facilities.
Technological advancements are also playing a role. The U-WIN digital platform, launched in October 2024, digitizes vaccination records for pregnant women and children, ensuring timely immunizations against 12 preventable diseases. This initiative supports the Universal Immunization Programme (UIP) and reduces neonatal mortality risks. Additionally, organizations like ARMMAN are leveraging AI and mobile health technology to deliver preventive care information, reducing dropouts in maternal health programs through targeted outreach.
Despite these advancements, challenges persist. Uttar Pradesh, along with other Empowered Action Group (EAG) states, has a higher MMR (137 per 100,000 live births) compared to southern states like Kerala (49 per 100,000). Issues such as under-reporting of maternal deaths, shortages of obstetricians, and gaps in healthcare infrastructure continue to hinder progress. For instance, Gujarat, another state facing similar challenges, has only nine obstetricians against a requirement of 318 in community health centres, a situation mirrored in parts of Uttar Pradesh.
Innovative local initiatives are also making a difference. Madhya Pradesh’s ‘Dastak Abhiyan,’ a community-driven campaign, has inspired similar efforts in Uttar Pradesh to focus on early detection and timely intervention for maternal health risks. The state is also working to address sociocultural barriers, such as patriarchal norms that limit women’s access to healthcare, particularly among marginalized communities like Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST).
The integration of maternal mental health into these programs is gaining attention. Postpartum depression (PPD) and other mental health disorders are being recognized as critical issues, with calls for intersectoral approaches to address underlying social determinants. Awareness campaigns, such as those planned for May 2025, aim to educate communities about secure maternity and child health services, further bridging the gap between policy and implementation.
Uttar Pradesh’s efforts reflect a multidimensional approach to maternal health, combining policy, technology, and community engagement. While the state has made strides in reducing MMR from 308 in 2007 to 137 in 2020, achieving the SDG target will require sustained efforts to address disparities, improve infrastructure, and ensure equitable access to quality care for all mothers.
Disclaimer: This article is based on recent reports, government announcements, and data from sources like the National Health Mission, WHO, UNICEF, and news outlets such as The Times of India and The Hindu. Information is accurate as of September 2025, but readers are advised to verify updates with official health authorities.