Ensure early registration of pregnant women, Civil Surgeon exhorts ASHAs

In a bid to ensure the timely registration of all pregnant women across the district, Civil Surgeon Dr Poonam Chaudhary and Deputy Civil Surgeon Dr Sheenu Chaudhary reached out to frontline health workers during a special outreach programme in Assandh on Monday. The officials interacted with ASHA workers and ANMs, motivating them to ensure early registration of pregnant women — ideally within 10 weeks — which was now mandatory under the Health Department guidelines.

Speaking at the event, Dr Poonam Chaudhary emphasised the importance of early registration. “Early registration is vital for ensuring that pregnant women receive timely medical care. It also helps in the early identification and management of high-risk pregnancies, ultimately reducing maternal and infant mortality rates,” she said.

The Health Department has assigned ASHA workers and ANMs with the crucial responsibility of ensuring that every pregnant woman is registered promptly. In addition to routine outreach, awareness camps are being organised to educate both health workers and pregnant women on the importance of early registration.

Dr Sheenu Chaudhary said all pregnant women must register with their ANM to obtain a mother and child tracking system (MCTS) number. “No ultrasound will be permitted without this number. If registration is delayed beyond 10 weeks, special permission from the Civil Surgeon will be required,” she said.

Highlighting positive trends, Dr Poonam Chaudhary said the district had shown marked improvement in its sex ratio. For June 2025 alone, the sex ratio stood at 991. From January to June this year, it was recorded at 913, while the overall sex ratio for 2024 improved to 926, up from 908 in 2023.