Women’s Health Claims Rise Sharply as Maternity Costs Increase, Finds Care Health Insurance
New Delhi, May 8, 2026: India’s maternity healthcare landscape is undergoing a significant shift, with more women accessing formal, institutional care than ever before. As per data from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, with over 88–90% of births now occurring in institutional settings, the share of institutional deliveries has reached 97.3% in 2023–24, signalling a sustained shift towards formal, hospital-based maternal care. Government data presented in 2025 further showed that C-section deliveries accounted for over 27% of all reported births in India during 2024–25, reinforcing the growing shift towards medically intensive maternity care.
Against this backdrop, Care Health Insurance highlights a clear expansion in women’s health claims, both in scale and intensity. Women’s health insurance claims rose 37% from FY25 to FY26, with the 20–40 age group continuing to drive this growth, increasing from 25% over the same period.
At the same time, maternity-related claims are becoming more cost-intensive with Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities continue to account for a larger share of overall claims contributing to 60% of all maternity claims reported to the company.
A shift in maternal age profile is also visible. In FY26, women aged above 35 years accounted for 12% of total maternity claim volumes which was higher as compared to previous years and increasing. The cost of this age group was 18% of the overall claim amount, indicating higher cost intensity associated with later-age pregnancies.
Overall maternity claim outgo has risen by 25% over the last two years, even as claim volumes have fluctuated, indicating a shift towards higher spend per case.
While deliveries are becoming increasingly institutionalized and becoming more efficient, the proportion of women discharged within five days for maternal care has increased from 75% in FY24 to 82% in FY26. This duration of discharge is not resulting in cost reduction, instead the company has seen an upward trend in cost intensity for maternal treatment.
Taken together, these trends reflect a structural shift in maternal healthcare, with rising cost intensity and evolving care patterns driving higher financial exposure. The findings are further reinforced by broader public health data, which indicates that a majority of women in India are accessing formal antenatal care services, while three out of four continue to have inadequate dietary iron intake, highlighting persistent nutritional gaps and long-term health vulnerabilities beyond maternity.
Commenting on the findings, Manish Dodeja, Executive Director & Chief Business Officer, Care Health Insurance, said, “Women’s health insurance claims are no longer following a linear growth pattern; they are expanding in both scale and intensity. We are seeing a clear shift in the maternity landscape, with costs rising steadily. While care pathways are becoming more efficient, the financial exposure associated with maternal healthcare is increasing. This is not just a utilisation trend; it reflects a broader shift in how women are accessing and experiencing healthcare today. It is therefore important for individuals to periodically reassess their coverage to ensure it remains aligned with evolving needs.”
As maternal healthcare continues to formalise and utilisation rises, ensuring adequate and timely health insurance coverage remains critical to managing financial exposure and ensuring continuity of care.