Maternity Care

It was just another plane journey, until a woman went into labour.

Conservative beliefs, weak finances, and inaccessibility of clean products are the trinity of menstrual nightmares. One which rural Indian women, more than their urban counterparts, consider a way of life sadly.

Did you know that prohibiting or discriminating against a women who breastfeeds in public can attract a fine in Sao Paulo?

Priyanka and Suresh Raina named the Gracia Raina Foundation, after their one-year-old daughter, to support mothers from underprivileged communities with healthcare and livelihood opportunities.

Developed and tested all over Maharashtra, the app will identify high-risk pregnant women living in slums and rural areas and connect them with doctors.

Breastfeeding is an often misunderstood, and occasionally controversial, aspect of motherhood in India. Hence, new moms can often struggle with misconceptions about it. However, an increasing number of platforms are offering advice and help to mothers in need.

Access to information and proper training can make a difference in life-and-death situations, especially in cases like pregnancy and childbirth. India Fellow Dyuti writes about such a case where knowledge helped a young mother save the lives of herself and her newborn.

In a country where 40 out of every 1000 infants die before the age of 5, milk banks come to rescue. In Rajasthan, one such a milk bank set up in 2013 has saved the lives of 1500 infants in three years.

Here is how a well executed plan managed to change the old mindset of villagers in Orissa and introduced a better maternal health care system. From collecting important data to regular health advice and addressing important issues, the Village Health Atlas is leading pregnant women across 34 villages in Kandhamal, a district with one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the state, to a healthier future.

A unique concept - boat clinics - are offering crucial medical assistance, advice on family planning, and most importantly, hope to the millions living in the many small, flood-prone islands in Assam where hospitals and dedicated medical centres are unheard of, and at many times in the year, inaccessible.