More women in India are opting for institutional deliveries over home births, with a growing preference for private facilities over government ones, according to the National Family Health Survey-6 (NFHS-6). Institutional deliveries rose to 90.6%, up from 88.6% in the previous NFHS-5 cycle. However, the share of births in public health facilities dropped from 61.9% to 58.6%.
The NFHS-6 report also highlights improvements in postnatal care, with 82.8% of mothers receiving care within 48 hours after delivery. This has contributed to a decline in the country's maternal mortality rate, with the national Maternal Mortality Ratio at 87 per lakh live births.
Experts attribute the rise in institutional births to the empanelment of private hospitals under the Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme. The survey also shows an increase in first trimester antenatal registration and mothers receiving four or more antenatal care visits.
However, the NFHS-6 report flags a worrying health challenge: a sharp spike in lifestyle-related diseases, particularly obesity. Data show blood sugar levels among adults have increased, and the percentage of overweight or obese women has jumped from 24% to 30.7%.
