The Kerala government has issued a strong warning against the rising trend of unassisted home births, calling the practice dangerous and unscientific. Health Minister Veena George emphasized that these unsupervised deliveries pose serious health risks to both mothers and newborns. The government is considering legal action under the Kerala Public Health Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita against individuals promoting or engaging in such practices.
The minister also cautioned against misleading content on social media that encourages home births, stating that spreading such misinformation is a punishable offense. Strict legal action will be taken against those responsible.
This decisive stance follows a tragic incident in Malappuram district where a 35-year-old woman died due to excessive bleeding during an unassisted home delivery. Her husband has been arrested and charged with culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
In response, the state has directed District Medical Officers to conduct a detailed study on the prevalence of home births and launch awareness campaigns in collaboration with community organizations. The goal is to educate the public about the risks of home deliveries and ensure that expectant mothers have access to proper medical care.
Kerala, which boasts one of India’s lowest maternal mortality rates—19 per 100,000 live births, compared to the national average of 97—sees the surge in home births as a threat to its hard-earned health milestones. Between April 2024 and February 2025, 382 home births were reported out of 2.94 lakh total deliveries in the state.
