International Institute for Population Sciences
Deemed to be University (An Autonomous Organization of Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India)

Background: India has millions of internal migrants; the 2011 Census counted over 450 million (37% of the population), with Maharashtra a top destination and women comprising roughly twice the number of male migrants. Prior work notes economic and social challenges, low access to social/financial entitlements, limited knowledge of health facilities, and literacy-linked gaps in health care utilization. This study aims to contribute qualitative findings on migrant women’s access to maternal and child health (MCH) services and their attitudes toward healthcare access and use. Methods: Qualitative study in Mumbai using in-depth interviews with migrant women (n=22) and key-informant interviews with healthcare workers (n=10) conducted in March 2025 in Hindi/Marathi. Inclusion targeted women aged 15–49 who migrated within five years and delivered within the past five years. Open coding and thematic analysis (NVivo) were used to examine attitudes, utilization, barriers, and provider perspectives. Results: Two themes emerged. MCH Care Utilization & Perceptions: noted a general preference for hospital delivery for safety and documentation, fear of “operations” particularly among Muslim populations, perceived equality, reports of scolding; steep out-of-pocket costs; long queues; and government schemes not availed or received. Health Care Access Barriers noted included distance and transport constraints; financial constraints; documentation barriers after home births; family responsibilities; knowledge/information gaps; stigma in communicating SRH; mobility limited by husbands. Providers suggested nearer maternity sites, bus routes, mobile clinics, pregnancy camps, and on-call ambulances. Conclusion: These findings highlight how time, cost, documentation, information, and dignity shape migrant women’s navigation of MCH care in urban slums. Interventions geared towards removing these barriers could protect women’s health in contexts of migration.