A Critical Appraisal of NFHS-5 Data on Maternal Health Indicators: Trends and Implications for India

Abstract

The National Family Health Survey (NFHS) data is useful in setting benchmarks and examining the progress of various health indicators over time. The main objective of the present paper is to critically review the findings of NFHS-5 and NFHS-4 regarding the trends on maternal health indicators and implications for India. Data from NFHS-5 (First round 2019- 2020) and NFHS-4 (2015-16) for 17 states and five Union territories (UTs) pertaining to maternal health indicators was extracted from the factsheets. Trends and implications in line with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and National Health Policy (NHP) 2017 have been critically appraised. Substantial improvement in maternal health indicators in NFHS-5 over NFHS-4 is noted; however, there is a lot of interstate variation. NFHS-5 findings indicate that the percentage of women in the age group 15-19 years, already mothers or pregnant, has increased in four states while the percentage of mothers who had antenatal checkup in first trimester has increased in 12 states. Percentage of those with anaemia during pregnancy has increased from 15 to 17 states in NFHS-5 as compared to NFHS-4. Institutional births are over 90% in 14 states while
only three states have below 79%. Out of pocket expenditure (OOPE) per delivery at public health facilities has increased in 12 states over the time period and it is above 5000 INR in 8 states. In India, improvement in maternal health indicators can be achieved by increasing quality of care, strengthening the Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY), skilled birth attendants training program, reduction of anaemia among pregnant women and reduction in OOPEper delivery at public health facilities.
Source of Support: None
Conflict of Interest: The authors declare no conflict of interest