- Why in news
- On 9 June 2026, Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda launched nationwide celebrations for 10 years of PMSMA. He released a ₹75 commemorative coin and a ₹5 postal stamp.
- What it is
- PMSMA is a Health Ministry programme begun in 2016 to give free, specialist antenatal care to pregnant women at government facilities on the 9th of each month. It focuses on finding high-risk pregnancies early and linking them to facilities for safe delivery. Private doctors can volunteer their time for it.
- Launch
- PMSMA was launched by the Prime Minister on 9 June 2016. It gives free antenatal care through specialist doctors on the 9th of each month.
- Private sector role
- More than 9,000 private providers are registered under PMSMA. This extends specialist care to underserved and aspirational districts.
- Scale
- Over 7.5 crore antenatal check-ups have been done and nearly 1.2 crore high-risk pregnancies identified.
- Maternal Mortality Ratio (SRS)
- MMR fell from 130 per lakh live births in 2014–16 to 87 in 2022–24.
- Link with other schemes
- PMSMA and E-PMSMA promote use of JSY, JSSK and PMMVY.
- Launch and timing
- Launched on 9 June 2016; services are given on the 9th of every month at designated government facilities.
- Eligibility
- Women in the second trimester (13–27 weeks) or third trimester (28 weeks till delivery).
- High-risk screening
- Screening covers 25 high-risk factors, and high-risk pregnancies are linked to the nearest first referral unit for safe delivery.
- Extended PMSMA
- Launched in January 2022 to track high-risk pregnancies; incentives support the beneficiary and the ASHA for up to three additional visits.
- MMR trend
- India's MMR fell from 130 (2014–16) to 87 (2022–24) per lakh live births.
Don’t confuse with PMSMA vs Janani Suraksha Yojana: PMSMA gives specialist antenatal check-ups on the 9th of each month. JSY is a cash incentive scheme to promote institutional delivery.
Don’t confuse with PMSMA vs PMMVY: PMMVY gives cash maternity benefit to pregnant and lactating women. PMSMA provides free antenatal care services, not cash.
Don’t confuse with PMSMA vs JSY vs JSSK: PMSMA gives specialist antenatal checks on the 9th; JSY promotes institutional delivery; JSSK gives free services to pregnant women and newborns.
Schemes: 52 Prelims questions since 2013, 10 in Prelims 2026 alone. They test features, the period and who funds it. In Mains, 33 news-triggered questions, mostly GS3.
Why it matters
- Early detection and tracking of high-risk pregnancies helps cut maternal and neonatal deaths, supporting SDG 3 targets.
- Voluntary private specialists add capacity to the public health system, especially in remote districts.
- Early detection of high-risk pregnancies helps lower maternal deaths.
- Involving private doctors widens specialist access.
Problems
- Specialist availability depends on volunteers and public facilities, which are uneven across underserved areas.
- Identifying high-risk pregnancies is only useful if referral, transport and follow-up care work well.
- Visits depend on women reaching facilities on a fixed day, and dropouts remain.
Way forward
- Strengthen referral linkages and emergency obstetric care at district facilities.
- Use digital tracking and ASHA follow-up to ensure continuity of care for high-risk pregnancies.
- Strengthen follow-up and tracking of high-risk pregnancies through the Extended PMSMA.
Put in your answer
MMR trend: MMR fell from 130 to 87 per lakh live births between 2014–16 and 2022–24 (SRS).
NFHS-6 antenatal indicators: Institutional deliveries are at 90.6% and antenatal care coverage at 95.9%.
Neonatal mortality: Neonatal Mortality Rate fell from 24 to 18 per 1,000 live births.
MMR decline: MMR fell from 130 to 87 per lakh live births between 2014–16 and 2022–24.
SDG target: India committed to bring MMR below 70 per lakh live births by 2030.
- 2013Mains GS2 · Q15Identify health-related MDGs and discuss government success in achieving them.
- 2020Mains GS2 · Q6Discuss health care policies needed for geriatric and maternal health to enhance social development.
- 2015Mains GS2 · Q12Could the private sector help bridge universal health coverage gaps, and what alternatives exist?
- 2024Mains GS2 · Q17How can the State extend grassroots public healthcare reach against marketisation?
- 2023Prelims Q51Which statements on Janani Suraksha Yojana's safe motherhood objectives and institutional delivery are correct?
- 2012Prelims Q52Which components are part of Janani Suraksha Yojana's objectives?
- 2024Prelims Q99Which statements on PMSMA's antenatal care and private provider volunteering are correct?
UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.
Prelims practice · Statements
Ours, not from a UPSC paper
Consider the following statements:
- 1.Under the Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyaan, free antenatal care is provided at designated government health facilities on the 9th of every month.
- 2.The programme is meant for pregnant women in their first trimester.
- 3.The programme screens for 25 high-risk pregnancy factors and links high-risk cases to the nearest first referral unit for safe delivery.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
True or false?
1 of 6
Statements the way Prelims prints them. Say first, then see the fact.
1.PMSMA provides antenatal care at designated government health facilities on the 9th of every month.
True. Services are held on the 9th of each month.
2.PMSMA is meant for women in the first trimester of pregnancy.
False. It targets the second and third trimesters.
3.Under PMSMA, screening is done for 25 high-risk pregnancy factors.
True. 25 high-risk factors are screened.
4.The Extended PMSMA strategy was launched in 2022 to strengthen follow-up of high-risk pregnancies.
True. Extended PMSMA began in January 2022.
5.Under Extended PMSMA, incentives are given only to the ASHA worker and not to the beneficiary.
False. Incentives support both the beneficiary and the accompanying ASHA.
6.Janani Suraksha Yojana is the scheme that promotes institutional deliveries.
True. JSY promotes institutional deliveries.
Written by us from the release, not by UPSC; checked by a second model.
Worth revising until Prelims 2028: most news questions come within two years of the event.