Birth Preparedness and Complication Readiness Among Pregnant and Recently Delivered Women in Rural Etawah, Uttar Pradesh: A Community-Based Cross-Sectional Study

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Published: Jul 1, 2026
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Abhishek Sahu
a:1:{s:5:"en_US";s:13:"UPUMS, Saifai";}
Dr Tripti Sahu
Dr Prashant Baraielly
Dr Arunima Sharma
Dr Shivali Singh
Dr Udayakumar Rangsamy
Dr Shushil Kumar Shukla

Abstract

Birth Preparedness and Complication Readiness Among Pregnant


and Recently Delivered Women in Rural Etawah, Uttar Pradesh:


A Community-Based Cross-Sectional Study


Running Title: BPCR Status in Rural Etawah, UP


 


ABSTRACT


Background

Birth preparedness and complication readiness (BPCR) is a cornerstone strategy for reducing maternal mortality by mitigating delays in care-seeking, transport, and receipt of skilled obstetric services. Despite national-level improvements under programs such as Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) and National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), Uttar Pradesh continues to bear a disproportionately high burden of maternal deaths. District Etawah in rural Uttar Pradesh lacks local evidence on BPCR status and its determinants, a gap that impedes targeted health system interventions.


Objectives

To determine the proportion of women with favourable BPCR and to identify sociodemographic, obstetric, and informational factors significantly associated with it among pregnant and recently delivered women in rural Etawah, Uttar Pradesh.


Methods

A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from 15 September to 15 November 2023 in the rural field practice area of Uttar Pradesh University of Medical Sciences (UPUMS), Saifai, Etawah. A total of 250 eligible participants — comprising pregnant women with gestational age >28 weeks and recently delivered women — were enrolled using a time-bound consecutive sampling method. Data were collected through face-to-face structured interviews. BPCR was assessed using a pre-defined checklist. Favourable BPCR was defined as having fulfilled the requisite preparedness criteria. Association between BPCR and study variables was assessed using the chi-square test, with p<0.05 considered statistically significant.


Results

Of 250 participants, the majority (95.6%) were aged 18–34 years. Most women belonged to below poverty line (BPL) households (54.4%), had ≥4 antenatal care (ANC) visits (76.8%), and were attended by government health facilities (54.0%). Awareness of six key obstetric danger signs was present in only 37.6% of participants. Favourable BPCR was recorded in merely 45 women (18.0%), denoting a critically low level of birth preparedness. Statistically significant associations with favourable BPCR were identified for maternal education (χ²=4.33, p<0.05), socioeconomic status (χ²=17.12, p<0.001), number of ANC visits (χ²=13.90, p<0.001), and awareness of danger signs (χ²=26.26, p<0.001).


Conclusion

BPCR status among rural women in Etawah is critically low — substantially below estimates reported from other Indian settings. Maternal literacy, economic empowerment, adequate ANC utilisation, and danger sign awareness are key modifiable determinants. Immediate strengthening of BPCR counselling during ANC contacts, with intensified outreach by ASHA and ANM workers targeting illiterate and economically marginalised women, is imperative.


 

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How to Cite
Sahu, A., Sahu, D. T., Baraielly, D. P., Sharma, D. A., Singh, D. S., Rangsamy, D. U., & Kumar Shukla, D. S. (2026). Birth Preparedness and Complication Readiness Among Pregnant and Recently Delivered Women in Rural Etawah, Uttar Pradesh: A Community-Based Cross-Sectional Study. Central India Journal of Medical Research. Retrieved from https://cijmr.com/index.php/cijmr/article/view/424
Issue
Online First 2026
Section
Original Research Articles
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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