Out-of-pocket Expenditure among Post-natal Patients in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Delhi: A Cross-sectional Study

Background: Governments in many low-income settings, with high burdens of maternal mortality, provide schemes to encourage women for institutional childbirths. From the analysis of Indian data from the National Family Health Survey, 2015–2016, it was observed that the mean total out-of-pocket expenditure (OOPE) was found to be 2278 INR for childbirth, in government facilities in India. Aims: Our study aims in assessing the OOPE of postnatal women in a tertiary healthcare hospital. Patients and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in the post-natal wards of a tertiary healthcare facility in New Delhi. All post-natal women present in the ward, without any complications, within 5 days of their delivery, were eligible for the study. In the said days, 312 women were approached, of them, 296 (94.87%) consented for the study. A self-developed pre-tested interview schedule was filled. Results: The median age of participants was 24 (23–27) years. More than 90% of them were from urban areas. All participants except two, incurred OOPE. The highest median expenditure was observed for the loss of wages of attendants (INR 2400), followed by expenses for medicine (INR 2000) and blood transfusion (INR 2000). Almost three-fourths of the participants paid for the OOPE by their own wage/salary or pension. One-fourth of the participants used their savings for meeting the expenditure. Conclusion: Despite several government assistance schemes, the OOPE continues to strain postpartum care.