Modernity and Medicalisation of Childbirth in Arunachal Pradesh

The process of modernisation is witnessed all around the world. Modernity has impacted every aspect of human life, and this article deals with the impact of Modernity on health in general and childbirth methods in particular. Based on the data from NFHS-3, NFHS-4, and NFHS-5, there has been an increasing trend of institutional delivery and caesarean section delivery in Arunachal Pradesh. The introduction of institutional delivery has been linked with reducing Infant Mortality Rate and Maternal Mortality Ratio. Fewer women and children are dying during the childbirth process due to the introduction of institutional delivery. However, institutionalisation has inevitably resulted in the Medicalisation of childbirth. Moreover, Medicalisation has led to an increase in caesarean section surgery worldwide. The concept of institutional delivery, which is a product of Modernity, is relatively new in the tribal state of Arunachal Pradesh. This study tries to understand the changing childbirth method in the state by undertaking a qualitative study in the Doimukh and Naharlagun region of Arunachal Pradesh