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Over 88% pregnant women not getting antenatal care in MP
About 88.6% expecting mothers don’t get a complete antenatal care in Madhya Pradesh, making the state the third bad performer in maternal care after Bihar and Triprua in the country, according to the latest National Family Health Survey.
About 88.6% expecting mothers don’t get a complete antenatal care in Madhya Pradesh, making the state the third bad performer in maternal care after Bihar and Triprua in the country, according to the latest National Family Health Survey (NFHS).
The survey reveals that only an average 11.4% women get a full antenatal care (ANC) in the state--about 8.3% in the rural areas and 19.5 % in the urban areas against the last time average of 4.7%. Bihar tops the list with the worst 3.3% antenatal care beneficiaries and Tripura follows it with 7.7%.
Women and child health expert Sachin Jain said the figures showed the situation of maternal care hadn’t improved much “despite schemes like Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram (JSSK).”
The main reason behind this has been a structural problem in the health services which include poor condition of primary health and community health centres—a majority of them are being run by the contractual employees, Jain said, adding that there was need to improve basic health services, sensitizing auxiliary nurse midwife (ANM) and busting superstitions attached to the ANC.
“Mostly women don’t register themselves in the first trimester as they fear revealing pregnancy might cause abortion,” said woman activist Rolly Shivhare.
In Madhya Pradesh, the district of Vindhya region and tribal dominated districts like Jhabua, Shahjapur and Alirajpur showed poor performance in terms of ANC, according to the survey.
One of the areas of concerns is that the pregnant women ignore prescribed iron and folic acid (IFA) tablets in the state. The survey reveals that only 23.6% women take IFA for 100 days or more.
“The main reason for low consumption is that the women complain of nausea, black stool and constipation etc after consuming them. The ANM should give the advice,” Shivhare said.
Principal secretary of MP Health department, Gauri Singh, said the efforts should be made by both the ANM and the expecting mother.
“We are holding one-and-a-half-month camps twice a year in different villages where trained doctors check up women and give the necessary advice,” he said.
MP third bad performer
11.4% women get a full antenatal care (ANC) in the state--about 8.3% in the rural areas and 19.5% in the urban areas
Bihar tops the list with the worst 3.3% antenatal care beneficiaries and Tripura follows it with 7.7%
