Fernandez Hospital Educational and Research Foundation (FHERF), a leader in maternal and new born healthcare, today inaugurated the second edition of the ‘Better Birthing Experience (BBE) Conference’ at The Park, Hyderabad. The two-day event has brought together clinicians, midwives, nurses, and public-health experts from India and overseas to explore innovative ways to make childbirth safer, more natural, and more respectful. This year’s theme, “Reimagining Childbirth: A Call for Change”, reflects a growing movement to re-examine systems, and recommit to creating birthing environments that are safe, empowering, and free from unnecessary interventions. The conference features interactive workshops, paper presentations, and panel discussions all aimed at improving maternal and new born health outcomes by exploring pathways to reduce C-sections, promote midwifery-led care, strengthen collaborative models, and support informed decision-making for every woman.

India’s progress as a nation is inseparable from the health and empowerment of its women said Dr Evita Fernandez, Managing Trustee, FHERF. When maternity care honours a woman’s body, her choices, and her dignity, we move closer to a more compassionate and equitable society. The Better Birthing Experience Conference is a step toward that vision. While India’s Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) has improved to 93 (2019–21) from 97 (2018–20), the country faces an alarming rise in C-section deliveries, particularly in private facilities. According to the National Family Health Survey-5 (NFHS-5), nearly one in two births in private hospitals are now caesarean sections. Experts at BBE 2025 are calling for renewed advocacy, training, and public awareness to ensure that surgical births are reserved for medically necessary cases. Fernandez Hospital has been at the forefront of improving birthing practices in India for over seven decades. Its initiatives include midwifery education and capacity-building, introduction of birth companions, hydrotherapy and water birth options, and continuous training in respectful maternity care for healthcare professionals across the country.