Maternal Reproductive Health: A Comparison Between India and Empowered Action Group States

Abstract

Maternal healthcare services are very important due to its multifaceted effects on mother and child’s health. The present study is an attempt to assess the reproductive health of a mother through the lenses of maternal health care provided by the state in Empowered Action Group (EAG) states and rest of the Indian states. Objectives of the study are to (i) assess the interstate variants in maternal reproductive health facilities available in the EAG states along with other Indian states in the pre and postnatal period (ii) assess the outcome of maternal healthcare facilities in the EAG states. National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO) 71st data on Social Consumption and Health has been extracted and analyzed using Stata, SPSS, and GIS software. Variables like prenatal care, institutional deliveries, postnatal care, etc. are taken. Methodology adopted includes Principal Component Analysis (PCA) for making composite index and correlation for testing the hypotheses. Interstate variants in healthcare performance have been shown in Choropleth map. Results of the analysis show that states of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar rank lowest among the EAG as compared to states like Odisha, Uttaranchal, Chhattisgarh, etc. Negative correlation between maternal mortality and maternal healthcare facilities emphasizes the need to strengthen reproductive healthcare facilities in the EAG states. Good maternal healthcare facilities will lead to good reproductive health of a mother.