Maarg Manthan · Topic 4.5

Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA)

Current Affairs & Government Schemes › Health and Nutrition Schemes · Topic 4.5

The Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA), or Prime Minister's Safe Motherhood Campaign, is a programme of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, launched in 2016 under the National Health Mission, that gives every pregnant woman a free, assured, quality antenatal check-up by a doctor on the 9th of every month. It targets women in the second and third trimesters and aims to find and track high-risk pregnancies, so as to cut maternal and newborn deaths. Services include examination, ultrasound, tests, iron and folic acid, and counselling. Private doctors volunteer their time, and an Extended PMSMA from 2019 rewards follow-up of high-risk cases.

6 min read · UPSC Prelims · Current Affairs & Government Schemes · Health and Nutrition Schemes

At a Glance

Ministry Health and Family Welfare
Launched 2016
Fixed day 9th of every month
Beneficiary Pregnant women, 2nd and 3rd trimester
Run under National Health Mission
Exam link UPSC Prelims, Current Affairs and Government Schemes: Health and Nutrition Schemes

Where Does It Fit?

This is the fifth topic of the macro on health and nutrition. It is a service programme under the National Health Mission and ties in with the cash incentive scheme for delivery that follows. Previous topic: National Health Mission (NHM). Next topic: Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY).

What Does PMSMA Provide and Who Can Use It?

Feature	Detail
Full name	Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan, abbreviated PMSMA
Ministry	Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, as part of the National Health Mission
Fixed day	Antenatal check-ups are held on the 9th of every month at government facilities, and if the 9th is a holiday the next working day is used
Who is eligible	Every pregnant woman in her second or third trimester can attend, free of cost, at any government health facility
Who gives care	Obstetricians, gynaecologists and physicians, including private doctors who volunteer under the call of the Prime Minister
Services	Clinical examination, ultrasound where available, blood and urine tests, iron and folic acid, calcium, tetanus vaccine and counselling on nutrition and birth planning
Special feature	Colour coded stickers mark high-risk women, so they get extra attention and tracking until delivery

How Does the Campaign Handle High-Risk Pregnancies?

High-risk identification: doctors and ANMs mark a woman as high risk if she has severe anaemia, hypertension, diabetes, previous caesarean, twin pregnancy or other danger signs
Red sticker: high-risk women get a red sticker on the Mother and Child Protection card, and the case is flagged for follow-up
Extended PMSMA: launched in 2019 to ensure that high-risk women are tracked, are visited by ASHA workers and receive an incentive for institutional follow up and delivery
ASHA role: ASHA workers help women reach the facility on the 9th, record cases and are given an incentive for tracking high-risk pregnancies
Volunteer doctors: the Ministry set up a portal where private specialists can register and give their time on the 9th, which brings specialist care to rural and underserved areas
Reporting: data from the campaign is entered into the RCH portal, so that officials can see how many women are screened and referred
Link to nutrition: women found anaemic are given iron therapy and are linked to Anganwadi nutrition services, as in Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS)
Link to NHM: the programme runs through facilities and workers funded by the National Health Mission, as in National Health Mission (NHM)

What Else Should You Remember?

Announcement: the Prime Minister appealed to doctors in the Mann Ki Baat radio programme to volunteer on the 9th of every month, and the programme was formally launched in June 2016
Why the 9th: a fixed date helps women remember the day, and it turns antenatal care into a monthly public event at every facility
Before PMSMA: many women reached care only late in pregnancy, and quality of antenatal checks varied, which led to missed danger signs
Maternal mortality: the maternal mortality ratio in India has fallen to 97 per lakh live births in 2018 to 2020 as per the Sample Registration System, but gaps between states persist
Causes of maternal death: haemorrhage, hypertensive disorders, sepsis and anaemia remain leading causes, and most are preventable with timely antenatal care
Four visits: national guidance asks for at least four antenatal check-ups, and the 9th of every month adds a specialist visit to this schedule
Link to cash support: a cash incentive after delivery is paid under the Janani Suraksha Yojana, as in Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY)
LaQshya and SUMAN: quality of labour room care is addressed by LaQshya, and the SUMAN initiative promotes respectful care of every mother and newborn
Digital tracking: the pregnant woman is registered on the RCH portal, and the Mother and Child Tracking System was the earlier tool
Limits: coverage depends on specialist availability, and not every facility has an ultrasound, which limits the value of the visit
Impact: the Ministry has reported crores of women screened since launch, and large numbers of high-risk pregnancies identified
Nutrition cash support: the maternity benefit of the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana is separate from this service programme, as in Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY)

Why Does It Matter for the Exam?

Date: the 9th of every month is the favourite one-line fact
Target group: second and third trimester pregnant women
Ministry: Health and Family Welfare, under the National Health Mission
Volunteers: private doctors give free services on the 9th
Traps: PMSMA is a service programme and gives no cash, unlike JSY and PMMVY

As an analytical point, a fixed day and volunteer specialists are a low-cost way to widen antenatal coverage. The deeper fix is a steady supply of obstetricians, diagnostics and referral transport at every block.

Why Is This Topic Important?

Facts Date, target group, ministry
Policy Maternal health
Mains Voluntary and private role

What Came Next?

The next topic covers the cash incentive for institutional delivery. Next topic: Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY).

Key People and Terms

PMSMA Safe motherhood campaign
ANC Antenatal care
HRP High-risk pregnancy
MCP card Mother and child record
RCH portal Tracking system
ANM Auxiliary nurse midwife

Exam Corner

Points to Remember

Date: 9th of every month.
Launched: 2016.
Group: 2nd and 3rd trimester.
Feature: red sticker for high risk.
Extended PMSMA: 2019.

Do Not Confuse With

PMSMA and JSY Free antenatal check-up versus cash for institutional delivery
PMSMA and PMMVY Service programme versus wage-loss cash support
PMSMA and Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram Specialist check-up versus free delivery and newborn care entitlements

Memory Hook

Nine on the ninth: a doctor, a check-up and a red sticker for risk.

Mains Angle

Questions ask about maternal health policy and the role of voluntary effort. These points give a frame.

Aim Early risk detection
Gaps Specialists and diagnostics
Way Block level capacity

A Question You May Face

An original practice question, not a past paper question.

“Examine how the Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan contributes to reducing maternal mortality in India.”

How to Answer

Intro State the 9th of every month service and its aim.
How it helps Risk detection and tracking.
Gaps Specialists, diagnostics, referral.
Way Strengthen blocks and track every high-risk case.

GS Relevance

Prelims: features and timing of PMSMA. GS Paper 2: health, maternal and child welfare, role of volunteers and private sector.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan?

The Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan is a Health Ministry programme launched in 2016 under the National Health Mission. It offers every pregnant woman a free, quality antenatal check-up by a doctor on the 9th of every month at government facilities, with a focus on spotting high-risk pregnancies.

Who is eligible for PMSMA?

Every pregnant woman in her second or third trimester is eligible for PMSMA services, free of cost, at any government health facility, whatever her income. High-risk women get extra follow-up and tracking by ASHA workers and ANMs, and are marked with a red sticker on the Mother and Child Protection card.

Which ministry runs PMSMA?

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare runs PMSMA as part of the National Health Mission. Facilities, ANMs and ASHA workers funded by the mission deliver the services, while private specialists volunteer their time on the 9th, after an appeal by the Prime Minister to the medical community.

Why is PMSMA held on the 9th of every month?

The 9th was fixed so that antenatal care becomes a regular monthly event that women and health workers can remember easily. Every government facility holds the clinic on that date, or the next working day if it is a holiday, and women can also use routine services on other days.

What is the Extended PMSMA?

Extended PMSMA, started in 2019, focuses on high-risk pregnancies. It tracks every identified high-risk woman until delivery through ASHA visits and gives incentives for follow-up and institutional delivery. The aim is to bring down maternal and newborn deaths by making sure danger signs are acted on early.

PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis

1 PMSMA offers a free antenatal check-up on the 9th of every month.

True

It is held at government facilities.

2 PMSMA gives a cash grant for institutional delivery.

False

Cash for delivery is given under JSY.

3 PMSMA is meant for women in the second and third trimesters.