Representative image (AI-generated)
With close to 25 million births annually in the country, the discussion, when it comes to maternal health, has moved to building healthier generations from merely survival. The Times Future of Maternity 2026 summit, held recently in New Delhi, brought this shift into sharp focus. Organised by Times Internet and Pregatips, the event drew over 250 attendees, including policymakers, clinicians, public health experts and families, to examine how integrated, evidence-based and equitable care can shape the country’s demographic future.Setting the context for the show, Meenakshi Lekhi, former minister of state for external affairs and culture, in her special address, linked maternity directly to national progress.“The future of maternity is the future of a nation and it’s the future of humanity as well,” she said. Emphasising that no country can call itself developed if its women and children are not cared for, the former MoS argued that care must begin with the mother.She also highlighted India’s cultural strength that provides for the constant support of experienced women even in poorer households, while cautioning against turning pregnancy into a source of fear through over-medicalisation.This broad vision flowed naturally into the first clinical discussion on “Advancing Evidence-Driven Maternal & Newborn Care.” Panellists examined why proven protocols often fail to deliver consistent results despite decades of global and national evidence.Professor (Dr) Arti Maria, Former Dean, ABVIMS & Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, emphasised that mother and newborn are inseparable and called for zero separation after birth, along with greater family awareness.Prof (Dr) Jyotsna Suri, Consultant & Unit Head, Incharge Obstetric Critical Care, VMMC & Safdarjung Hospital, highlighted the faster-than-global decline in maternal mortality in India, yet stressed that postpartum haemorrhage, infections and hypertension are among the key preventable causes, thus requiring vigilant action in the critical golden hour.Dr Madhu Goel, Director, Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Fortis La Femme, stressed on the fact that close to 50 per cent of pregnancies in India are currently high-risk, which leads to early risk stratification and preventive strategies as the key game changer instead of purely therapeutic responses. Dr Tripti Sharan, Director- Obstetrics & Gynaecology; Head- High Risk Pregnancy, BLK MAX Hospital, on the other hand, underscored that systematic screening, monitoring and early detection are the most impactful entrypoints.The panel noted that even as knowledge exists, the bigger issue remains around standardising practices and filling the gap in execution across multiple settings, from high-volume public hospitals to different private facilities.A standalone session on “Postpartum Nutrition & Recovery” by Saloni Arora, Nutritionist and Founder of Femly, highlighted that recovery post delivery is not optional. According to Arora, having the right diet helps gain back strength and nutrient stores, guided movement restores physical function, while mental health support addresses knownfeelings of anxiety and exhaustion. When addressed together, these elements enable mothers to care for themselves and their babies more sustainably. The panel on “How to Strengthen Prenatal, Postnatal, Lactation & Mental Support Systems” focused on the often-neglected phase after delivery. Deepti Arora, Founder, Ever Bliss; Maternal; Family Well-Being Leader, described breastfeeding failures as system failures due to inadequate guidance rather than lack of knowledge.Dr Helai Gupta, Senior Consultant, Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Rosewalk Hospital, called postpartum care the most under-medicalised phase in a woman’s life, pointing to overlooked aspects such as hydration, mobility and sleep.Dr Juhi Rachel Baluja, Consultant Psychiatrist, St. Stephens Hospital, noted that 15-20 per cent of mothers experience anxiety, with symptoms sometimes progressing to depression if unnoticed. Dr Rashmi Bawa, Founding Director, WellMom, focused on structured antenatal education as a high-impact yet low-cost intervention that prepares families and helps tackle anxiety. The conversation called for continuity of care, involvement of family and moving towards parent-centric support from baby-centric.A fireside chat with Rahul Datta, Group COO, Ankura Hospitals, stressed on what a true comprehensive care from pregnancy through paediatrics should entail. This was followed by an “In Conversation” session on “India’s Fertility Shift: What It Means for Maternal Care,” which examined declining fertility rates, delayed parenthood and risingconception challenges and their implications for maternal health services. The speakers for the session were Dr Rajni Mittal, Senior Gynaecologist, Hindu Rao Hospital, and Dr Urvashi Prasad, Senior Fellow, Pahle India Foundation & Former Director, NITI Aayog.The following session on “Affordable, Accessible, Accountable: Reimagining Maternal Care Finance” exposed structural gaps in the ecosystem. Aviral Shrivastava, Founder and CEO, Momkidcare, highlighted that while government schemes cover delivery events, but not entire care journey. Dr Vandana Prasad, Founder Secretary; Principal Technical Advisor, Public Health Resource Society (PHRS), discussed realities in tribal areas such as high teenage pregnancies and maternal deaths without proper audits.Prof (Dr) Indranil Mukhopadhyay, School of Government & Public Policy, OP Jindal Global University, highlighted the stagnant National Health Mission funding and wide disparities in caesarean rates largely due to insurance incentives. Prof (Dr) Sunita Reddy, Centre of Social Medicine & Community Health, JNU, stressed the need to strengthen public systems that serve the majority. The panel described maternal care financing as a question of political will as much as policy design.Post-lunch, a masterclass by Natasha Uppal, Founder, Matrescence on “Matrescence: The Missing Lens in Modern Maternity Care” reframed motherhood as a profound developmental transformation rather than just a medical event, urging both parents and providers to recognise its emotional and psychological dimensions.The first post-lunch panel, “Maternal Healthcare Journeys: HER Stories of Strength and Hope,” brought grassroots perspectives. Dr Monika Banerjee, Head- Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability & Learning, Mobile Creches; Prof. (Dr) Nemthianngai Guite, Centre of Social Medicine & Community Health, JNU; Richa S Sethi, mother to a specially-abled child and educator and Stuti Shrivastava, mother to a one year old and legal professional shared real experiences of challenges and community solutions, moderated by Dr Urvashi Prasad.Following the session, a brief talk by Gurpreet Kaur Sanyal, Founder, MOMentum addressed the hidden impact of grief on fertility, pregnancy and postpartum health.The final jury session on “Evaluating Impact in Maternity Care” featured Prof (Dr) Dinesh Kumar Yadav, Professor & Head, Department of Pediatrics, ABVIMS & Dr RML Hospital; Dr. Madhu Goel, Director, Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Fortis La Femme; Prof (Dr) Manju Puri, Senior Professor, Obstetrics & Gynaecology, SGT University; and Prof (Dr) Surveen Ghumman Sindhu, Senior Director & Head, IVF & Reproductive Medicine Centre, MAX Group of Hospitals.The jury members delved into the expansive process involved in picking winners for the awards, which involved not only the numbers but also key aspects around respectful communication, family involvement, outcomes and quality of care received by the patient, even when complications occurred. The Times Future of Maternity Awards 2026 recognised excellence in the maternity ecosystem with 22 winners across 13 categories.Ankura Hospitals received Gold for Best Mother & Child Hospital for Comprehensive Care. Other notable gold winners included Ajanta Hospital and IVF Centre (Fertility & Reproductive Medicine), Saloni Arora of Femly (Nutritionist of the Year), R for Rabbit and Himalaya Wellness (Baby Care Brand), MSD for Mothers (Policy Impact), and Growgether (Innovation in Baby Gear).The summit was supported by nutrition partner Femly, supporting partners R for Rabbit and Ankura Hospitals, and exhibition partners Redcliffe Labs and Growgether.