Cost Analysis of Intranatal Care Services at a Tertiary Care Public Sector Hospital in Rajasthan, India

Introduction India is responsible for the second-highest maternal deaths and the greatest burden of stillbirths worldwide. The cost of intranatal services is an important determining factor, especially in developing countries like India. Most studies report the cost of delivery from the patient's perspective, but there is a lack of studies from the health system's perspective. This present study aimed to bridge this gap by estimating the overall and unit costs of various types of deliveries at a tertiary-level hospital in Rajasthan, India. Methods The cost estimation of intranatal services was conducted in a tertiary-level teaching hospital in Jaipur, Rajasthan. This cost analysis undertook the health system's perspective, using bottom-up costing methodology. Data on all the resources (capital/recurrent) used for the delivery of intranatal care from April 2020 to March 2021 were collected. Sensitivity analysis was done to account for any variability in cost components on overall intranatal service cost. Results The annual cost of intranatal care services at the tertiary care hospital was INR 149,011,957 (USD 1,988,152). The unit cost per vaginal delivery was INR 8,244.4 (USD 109.9) and the unit cost per cesarean section was INR 10,696.2 (USD 142.7). Among various heads of expenditure, 'human resource' costs were predominant, accounting for 47.7% of the total costs, followed by 'building/space' and 'overhead' costs, accounting for 30.59% and 11.1%, respectively. Conclusion The results may help plan and manage intra-natal care services in Rajasthan. Apart from the judicious utilization of resources, the findings of the study may also serve as a basis for future health economic studies.