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Improving Healthcare Habits to Reduce Maternal & Infant Mortality Rates in Rural Northern India
- Mansi
- India
- RMNCH+A department of the Indian Government’s National Health Mission
- February 1, 2026
Situation
In rural Uttar Pradesh, high maternal and infant mortality persists despite national investments in reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health. A multi-stakeholder behavioural design study—funded by the Surgo Foundation for the RMNCH+A division of National Health Mission—worked across households, government facilities, ASHA workers and programme managers. Led by Final Mile Consulting, it focused on six critical journeys: contraception, iron–folic acid (IFA), safe delivery, baby survival, breastfeeding and healthy growth.
Assignment
The goal was to understand the behaviours, habits and mental models of women, families, facility staff, ASHAs and officials that contribute to poor health outcomes—and identify leverage points for effective interventions.
Approach
The process included knowledge building, field research, analysis and a Behaviour Research Lab. Over 40 stakeholders were interviewed; labour rooms and ANC visits were observed; and low-fidelity journey maps informed early hypotheses. Heat-mapping and landscape visualisation revealed behavioural hotspots. Seven rounds of testing refined behavioural hypotheses, followed by moderator training and synthesis into decision-lever frameworks.
Result
The project produced user-journey maps, a visual system landscape and four strategy documents outlining mental models and intervention points across all six journeys. Findings exposed factors such as resistance to “western” medication driving IFA non-adherence and highlighted high-impact opportunity areas for improving maternal and infant survival.