Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA) was launched to provide assured, comprehensive, and quality antenatal care, universally to all pregnant women on a fixed day. In which trimester is this provided?

1. A

   2nd Trimester

2. B

   2nd and 3rd Trimester

3. C

   1st Trimester

4. D

   1st and 2nd Trimester

Appeared in: MP CHO -2021 (Shift 1st)

Explanation

• The Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA) is a national initiative providing fixed-day, quality antenatal care on the 9th of every month.
• This program specifically targets all pregnant women who are in their 2nd and 3rd trimesters of pregnancy.
• The primary objective is to screen for high-risk conditions like hypertension, anemia, and gestational diabetes, which are more prevalent and detectable in the later stages of pregnancy.
• By focusing on the 2nd and 3rd trimesters, the scheme ensures timely detection and management of complications, aiming to reduce maternal and infant mortality.

Why Other Options Were Wrong

• Option A: This is incomplete. While PMSMA services are provided during the 2nd trimester, they also continue throughout the 3rd trimester until delivery.
• Option C: The first trimester is primarily for pregnancy confirmation, registration, and the initial routine antenatal check-up. The specialized, intensive screening provided under the fixed-day PMSMA initiative begins after the first trimester.
• Option D: This is incorrect because PMSMA services are not targeted for the 1st trimester. The program's focus begins from the 2nd trimester and, crucially, extends into the 3rd trimester.

Related Visual

Clinical Relevance

• Nursing practice connection: Knowing National Health Programmes in India helps nurses interpret findings accurately and avoid errors in routine assessment, medication administration, and patient teaching.
• The PMSMA initiative is a critical component of India's strategy to reduce its Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) and Infant Mortality Rate (IMR).
• Nurses play a vital role in implementing PMSMA by conducting screenings, identifying high-risk mothers, providing counseling on nutrition and danger signs, and ensuring timely referral to specialists.
• Early identification of conditions like severe anemia or pre-eclampsia during the 2nd and 3rd trimesters allows for interventions that can prevent life-threatening complications for both mother and baby.

How to Approach the Question

• First, identify the core subject of the question, which is the 'Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA)' program.
• Recall the key features of this specific government health initiative. The question asks about the timing (trimester) of the service.
• Think about the purpose of PMSMA: to provide comprehensive, quality antenatal care and identify high-risk pregnancies.
• Consider the typical progression of pregnancy and antenatal care. The first trimester involves initial registration and basic checks. More intensive screening for complications like gestational diabetes and pre-eclampsia occurs later.
• This logic points to the services being focused on the second and third trimesters.
• Evaluate the options: '2nd and 3rd Trimester' aligns perfectly with the goal of managing risks that emerge as the pregnancy progresses. The other options are either incomplete or incorrect.

Concept Tested & Keywords

• Concept Tested: National Health Programmes in India
• Stem keywords: Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan, PMSMA, antenatal care, pregnant women, fixed day
• Lead-in keywords: In which trimester
• Clinical cues: Age/sex group narrows the expected diagnosis, intervention, or normal reference range.

Question ID

QIt3SKO4FXc-irA0BCTUVC

Copy ID

Reference Book

E6 Parks TextBook of Preventive & Social Medicine part 1 — Subpart C (pp 404-604 of 604) p. 140-142