Spatial Inequalities in Reproductive Healthcare Access and Women’s Bodily Autonomy in India
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54536/ajywe.v5i1.8075Keywords:
Bodily Autonomy, Family Planning, Government Policy, India, Institutional Delivery, Maternal Health, Nfhs, Regional Disparities, Reproductive Healthcare, Women’s EmpowermentAbstract
Reproductive health services and bodily autonomy represent two closely related domains which play a significant role in the determination of health conditions and gender relations within the Indian society. In this context, the purpose of the paper is to explore the situation with reproductive health in India and critically evaluate the impact of government policies on women’s bodily autonomy. Based on the findings revealed in the documents prepared by recognized sources (WHO, UNFPA, NITI Aayog, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the World Bank, and other academic publications), this paper will take a descriptive-analytical approach to consider the main indicators of reproductive health in various Indian states. The questions which will be examined in this paper include: (i) trends in using maternity services (antenatal, delivery, and postpartum care); (ii) the role of key programs implemented by the government (National Health Mission, Janani Suraksha Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan, and Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act); (iii) the correlation between access to medical help and decision-making opportunities; and (iv) differences in reproductive health among the best performing and the worst performing areas of India. Another important observation is the marked increase in the proportion of institutional deliveries from 39% in NFHS-3 to 89% in NFHS-5 and up to 90.6% in NFHS-6, along with the increase in the percentage of four or more antenatal visits from 51% to 59% in the transition from NFHS-4 to NFHS-5 and further to approximately 72% in NFHS-6. It is also true that there are some structural disparities, as states like Bihar and Nagaland lag behind states such as Kerala and Tamil Nadu in almost all reproductive health parameters. Moreover, 71% of currently married women in NFHS-5 have a voice in decision-making when it comes to healthcare matters, which is the stark reality of patriarchy and its influence on bodily autonomy. Thus, it can safely be said that there is an immediate need for qualitative changes in bodily autonomy despite the various efforts made by government policies.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Seema Mehra Parihar, Mohammed Baber Ali, Deepak Dhaked, Yuvraj Singh Sikarwar, Vyom Sharma
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