Delivering a child in a private hospital in India costs families nearly 16 times more than in a government hospital, according to the latest National Statistical Office (NSO) health survey highlighting the widening affordability gap in maternal healthcare despite rising institutional deliveries across the country. The survey found that the average expenditure on childbirth in public hospitals remains relatively low while costs in private healthcare facilities have surged sharply particularly in urban areas where private maternity care dominates.
According to the NSO findings, the average expenditure per childbirth in government hospitals was around ₹2,400 in rural India and approximately ₹3,100 in urban areas. In contrast, childbirth expenses in private hospitals averaged about ₹20,788 in rural areas and ₹29,105 in urban India. The report underlines the growing dependence on private healthcare institutions even for maternity services, despite the existence of free or subsidised maternal care schemes in the public sector.
Healthcare experts say the high costs are driven by increasing rates of caesarean deliveries, rising hospital charges, expensive diagnostics and longer hospital stays. The survey also revealed that institutional childbirth in India has become nearly universal with more than 96 percent of births now occurring in healthcare facilities. While this reflects major progress in maternal healthcare access experts warn that financial protection remains inadequate for many households. One of the key concerns highlighted in the report is the sharp difference in caesarean section rates between public and private hospitals. Previous health surveys and experts have consistently observed significantly higher C-section rates in private facilities contributing substantially to rising maternity expenses.
The NSO report noted that surgery was performed in around 28 percent of childbirth-related hospitalisations nationally. In government hospitals, only about 17 percent of childbirth cases involved surgery, whereas private hospitals reported surgical intervention in nearly 55 percent of deliveries. Public health specialists say that while caesarean deliveries are medically necessary in many cases, concerns remain over the growing commercialisation of childbirth in private healthcare settings.