MaternalHealth – Andhra Pradesh Reports Sharp Rise in Caesarean Births Across Hospitals**
MaternalHealth –Andhra Pradesh has recorded a notable increase in caesarean deliveries, even as the state continues to improve key maternal and child healthcare indicators, according to the findings of the National Family Health Survey-6 (NFHS-6) conducted during 2023-24.
The latest survey reveals that 52.2% of all births in Andhra Pradesh were delivered through caesarean section, marking a substantial rise from 42.4% reported in the previous NFHS survey. The findings highlight a growing reliance on surgical deliveries while also pointing to better access to healthcare services for expectant mothers and newborns across the state.
Private Hospitals Continue to Record Higher Caesarean Rates
The survey indicates a significant difference between private and government healthcare facilities in the number of caesarean deliveries performed. In private hospitals, 66.2% of births took place through caesarean section, whereas government hospitals reported a considerably lower rate of 38%.
Despite the increase in surgical births, institutional deliveries have continued to improve. The proportion of births taking place in healthcare institutions climbed to 98.4%, compared with 96.5% in the previous survey. Additionally, 98.7% of deliveries were assisted by trained healthcare professionals such as doctors, nurses, or skilled birth attendants, reflecting further progress in safe childbirth practices.
Antenatal Care Coverage Reaches Nearly Every Expectant Mother
Access to antenatal care remained almost universal across the state. According to NFHS-6, 99.7% of pregnant women received antenatal care during pregnancy, maintaining a high level of healthcare outreach.
The survey also recorded improvements in the timing and frequency of pregnancy check-ups. Nearly 88.6% of women had their first antenatal examination during the first trimester, up from 81.7% in the previous round. Meanwhile, the share of mothers completing at least four antenatal visits increased to 85.5%, a significant improvement over the earlier figure of 67.5%.
Better Nutrition and Preventive Healthcare During Pregnancy
Maternal nutrition indicators also showed encouraging progress. Around 86.2% of women consumed the recommended nutritional supplements for at least 100 days during pregnancy, compared with 70.3% in the previous survey. The proportion of mothers who continued supplementation for 180 days or more also rose to 56.3%, up from 41.1%.
Preventive healthcare measures improved as well. Protection against neonatal tetanus increased to 96.8%, compared with 92.8% previously. At the same time, 98.7% of registered pregnancies were covered under the Mother and Child Protection (MCP) programme, reflecting broader access to government-supported maternal health services.
Postnatal Care and Newborn Health Show Positive Gains
Healthcare support after childbirth also strengthened across Andhra Pradesh. The survey found that 97.4% of mothers received postnatal care from qualified health professionals within two days of delivery, an increase from 90.7% recorded in the previous survey.
Newborn healthcare followed a similar trend. Around 97.1% of infants underwent a health examination within two days of birth, improving from 92.3% in NFHS-5. Early medical attention for newborns remains an important indicator of improved healthcare delivery and monitoring during the critical post-birth period.
Family Planning Indicators Reflect Continued Progress
The survey also reported a slight increase in Andhra Pradesh’s total fertility rate, which rose to 1.8 from 1.7 in the previous assessment. Family planning adoption continued to improve, with overall usage increasing to 74.7%.
At the same time, the unmet need for family planning services declined to 4.4%, suggesting better access to reproductive healthcare and greater availability of family planning options for eligible couples across the state.