UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Steps taken for Reducing Maternal Mortality
Q1. Among the following maternal health schemes of the Government of India, which one was the earliest to be launched?
- A. Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY)
- B. Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram (JSSK)
- C. Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA)
- D. Surakshit Matritva Aashwasan (SUMAN)
Q2. Which one of the following best describes the principal objective of the Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram (JSSK)?
- A. Elimination of out-of-pocket expenditure for pregnant women and sick infants accessing public health institutions
- B. Provision of a conditional cash incentive to promote institutional delivery
- C. Assured fixed-day free antenatal check-up by specialists every month
- D. Guarantee of respectful care with zero tolerance for denial of services
Q3. Which one of the following statements correctly describes the antenatal care offered under the Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA)?
- A. Free, assured antenatal care provided on the 9th of every month to women in the 2nd/3rd trimester by OB-GYN specialists
- B. Free antenatal care provided on the 1st of every month to women in the 1st trimester by ASHA workers
- C. Cash incentive paid for every antenatal visit to a private accredited facility
- D. Weekly antenatal camps conducted only in aspirational districts by AYUSH practitioners
Q4. With reference to the Extended PMSMA strategy as compared with the regular PMSMA, consider the following statements:
1. The Extended PMSMA provides for individual tracking of identified high-risk pregnancies until a safe delivery is achieved.
2. Under the Extended PMSMA, identified high-risk pregnant women and the accompanying ASHA receive financial incentives for additional visits over and above the PMSMA visit.
3. Antenatal care under the regular PMSMA is provided on the 9th of every month by AYUSH practitioners.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- The Extended PMSMA provides for individual tracking of identified high-risk pregnancies until a safe delivery is achieved.
- Under the Extended PMSMA, identified high-risk pregnant women and the accompanying ASHA receive financial incentives for additional visits over and above the PMSMA visit.
- Antenatal care under the regular PMSMA is provided on the 9th of every month by AYUSH practitioners.
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 2 and 3 only
- C. 1 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q5. Consider the following pairings of initiative and feature:
1. SUMAN — zero tolerance for denial of services
2. LaQshya — improving quality of care in labour rooms and maternity operation theatres
3. SUMAN — launched in the year 2019
4. LaQshya — fixed-day free antenatal care on the 9th of every month
Which of the above is/are correctly identified?
- SUMAN — zero tolerance for denial of services
- LaQshya — improving quality of care in labour rooms and maternity operation theatres
- SUMAN — launched in the year 2019
- LaQshya — fixed-day free antenatal care on the 9th of every month
- A. 1, 2 and 3
- B. 1 and 4 only
- C. 2 and 4 only
- D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Q6. Which one of the following initiatives is aimed exclusively at improving the quality of care in labour rooms and maternity operation theatres?
- A. LaQshya
- B. SUMAN
- C. Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram
- D. Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan
Q7. Consider the following statements regarding the Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) as reported for India:
1. It is expressed as the number of maternal deaths per 1,00,000 live births.
2. A maternal death includes the death of a woman within 42 days of termination of pregnancy.
3. The MMR estimate for India is sourced from the Sample Registration System (SRS).
4. The Sample Registration System is maintained by NITI Aayog.
Which of the above is/are correct?
- It is expressed as the number of maternal deaths per 1,00,000 live births.
- A maternal death includes the death of a woman within 42 days of termination of pregnancy.
- The MMR estimate for India is sourced from the Sample Registration System (SRS).
- The Sample Registration System is maintained by NITI Aayog.
- A. 1, 2 and 3
- B. 1, 2 and 4
- C. 2, 3 and 4
- D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Q8. The Sample Registration System (SRS), which provides the official Maternal Mortality Ratio estimates for India, functions under which one of the following authorities?
- A. Registrar General of India, under the Ministry of Home Affairs
- B. Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
- C. National Statistical Office, under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation
- D. NITI Aayog
Q9. As per the latest Sample Registration System data, how many Indian states have already achieved the Sustainable Development Goal maternal mortality target of less than 70 per lakh live births?
- A. Eight
- B. Five
- C. Eleven
- D. Three
Q10. The recent data reporting India's Maternal Mortality Ratio at 88 per lakh live births (SRS 2021-23) and the count of institutional deliveries was released by which one of the following ministries?
- A. Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
- B. Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation
- C. Ministry of Home Affairs
- D. Ministry of Women and Child Development
Q11. The maternal health schemes such as JSY, JSSK, PMSMA, LaQshya and SUMAN are implemented under which single umbrella programme of the Government of India?
- A. National Health Mission
- B. Ayushman Bharat
- C. POSHAN Abhiyaan
- D. Integrated Child Development Services