The Tamil Nadu government is planning to introduce stricter rules on childbirth outside recognised medical institutions, with a proposal to make home deliveries a punishable offence. Health Minister K.G. Arunraj told the State Assembly that the government intends to replace the nearly 87-year-old Tamil Nadu Public Health Act, 1939, with a new law designed to address present-day public health challenges. According to the announcement, the proposed legislation would include provisions concerning deliveries conducted at home or outside medical institutions.
Health Secretary Daraj Ahmad indicated that a separate amendment dealing with home births could also be introduced earlier because the government considers the issue urgent. The move comes amid concerns over maternal safety following a recent case in Coimbatore district, where a 32-year-old woman reportedly died at a private hospital four days after giving birth to her second child at home. At present, home birth itself is not generally a criminal offence in India, making the proposed Tamil Nadu provision a significant shift in the state’s approach to maternal and childbirth safety.
