Delhi's Maternal Health Progress Marred by Persistent Home Births
New Delhi: Recent data released by the Delhi government on the type of medical attention received at birth reveals a complex picture of maternal healthcare in the capital. Despite sharp and consistent gains in hospital-based childbirth over the past two decades, a small but significant share of deliveries continues to occur outside medical institutions, attended by relatives or other untrained individuals.
Data Highlights Lingering Informal Practices
The statistics for the period from 2005 to 2024 show that institutional deliveries have risen dramatically, from 73.7% in 2005 to an impressive 96.1% in 2024. This represents an increase of more than 22 percentage points, with Delhi crossing the 90% threshold in 2018 and maintaining steady progress since. However, the data also uncovers that 2.4% of births in 2024 were still assisted by relatives or untrained persons, while an additional 0.9% were not clearly recorded under formal medical categories. Although this marks a decline from 6.8% in 2005, it underscores that informal delivery practices have not been fully phased out.
Expert Insights on Underlying Challenges
Former Safdarjung Hospital professor Achala Batra commented on the government's significant efforts, including financial incentives for expectant mothers, to boost institutional deliveries. "Yet distance to hospitals and the fear of caesarean deliveries continue to discourage women from seeking institutional care, pushing some towards home births," she said. Former MCD health department head Arun Yadav noted that while the numbers are not alarming, the capital should aim for near-universal institutional deliveries. "In cases of home births, the risk of infections increases as hygienic practices are not followed and serious complications can arise," he warned.
Factors Contributing to the Remaining Gap
A senior official explained that the persistent gap reflects deep-seated socio-economic disparities. Factors include migrant families lacking proper documentation, limited awareness among vulnerable communities, and cultural preferences for home deliveries. The data also indicates a steep decline in births conducted by untrained midwives, dropping from around 19.2% in 2005 to just 0.9% in 2024. An official pointed out that this shift signals a move away from unsafe, informal practices towards medically supervised care. Additionally, home deliveries assisted by qualified doctors or nurses have declined after peaking around 2010, showing that skilled care has increasingly migrated into hospitals and formal health facilities equipped with emergency support.
Progress and Future Directions
Officials attributed the rise in institutional deliveries to expanded maternal health infrastructure, incentive-based schemes promoting hospital births, and stronger antenatal outreach. This trend reflects a broader structural shift in maternal healthcare, with hospital births now dominating. "Yet the last stretch towards universal institutional delivery may be the hardest," the official said. Ensuring that the remaining 2.4% of births occur under medical supervision will require targeted interventions, especially among marginalised communities, he emphasized.
