Mother and Child Healthcare Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Services (Prenatal Services, Birthing Services, Postnatal Services, Fertility Services), By Maternal Age (Under 20, 21 to 30, 31 to 38, 39 and above), By Location (Hospitals, Nursing Homes & Clinics, In-Home Services, Online) and By Region(North America, Europe, APAC, Middle East and Africa, LATAM) Forecasts, 2024-2032

Market Overview

The global mother and child healthcare market size was worth USD 740.60 billion in 2023. It is projected to reach USD 1797.90 billion by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 13.7% during the forecast period (2024–2032). Healthcare for mothers (women of childbearing age) and children is known as mother and child healthcare. Women in their reproductive age ranges, such as those between the ages of 15 and 49, children, people in their school-age years, and adolescents, are the focus of mother and child healthcare. Maternal and child health care is a topic that is receiving more attention and concern across the globe, especially in developing nations.

After the World Summit for Children in 1991, which gave significant consideration and specified vital areas to be addressed in providing maternal and child healthcare services, this dedication to mother and child healthcare evolved further. The primary driver of market growth is the rise in mother and child healthcare services. Additionally, parents' willingness to consult with super-specialists drives the market for healthcare for mothers and children.

Market Dynamics

Global mother and child healthcare market drivers

Improved implementation of mother and child healthcare services

Mother and child healthcare services are the leading priorities of community health programs. According to the WHO, the mother and child healthcare services are "promoting, preventing, therapeutic, or rehabilitation facility or care for mother and child. Furthermore, an increase in awareness about health is growing. However, most developing countries cannot meet the targeted goals of reducing child and maternal mortality, owing to inadequate access to health services and a lack of awareness.

Countries such as India, Bangladesh, Thailand, and Sri Lanka need to increase the quality of maternal child care by raising financial incentives for health care and increasing funds for the proper utilization of available resources. For instance, in India, there are many services offered by the government of India, such as Janani Suraksha Yojana, Janani Express, 1098 service, facility-based newborn care service, and home-based newborn care.

Additionally, mother and child healthcare services aim to reduce maternal and infant mortality and morbidity by preventing the spread of infections from mother to child, monitoring children's development, nutrition, and mental health, and fostering an environment that is healthy for both mother and child. The opportunity to avoid or control direct causes of maternal mortality, such as bleeding, obstructed labor, and decreased fetal and neonatal fatalities associated with obstetric problems, can also be provided by appropriate utilization and reasonable care to boost the adoption of mother and child healthcare services, which further fuels market expansion.

Increase in out-of-pocket expenses for pregnant women

A wide range of health care options is utilized by pregnant women globally. The out-of-pocket costs of maternity care vary depending on many factors, including the model of care used, health insurance coverage, and women's decision to access health services outside of conventional maternity care provision. For instance, according to the WHO Global Health Expenditure Database, Out-Of-Pocket Expenditure (OOPE) in India is among the highest in the world and even higher than many developing countries in Africa and Asia, which have a smaller economic size and economic growth. The WHO reported that almost 86% of India's healthcare expenditure involves OOPE incurred by households, further driving the market growth.

Global mother and child healthcare market restraint

Problem of services in remote areas

In rural areas, maternal morbidity and mortality are serious public health problems. One of the most efficient ways to lower maternal mortality and morbidity is to increase pregnant women's access to prenatal care (ANC) services. Furthermore, there is also a growing shortage of prenatal care in rural areas. Fewer than half of rural countries have a practicing obstetrician or gynecologist (OB/GYN). This lack of prenatal care increases women’s likelihood of dying three to four times a pregnancy and contributes to higher infant mortality rates. The scarcity of rural OB/GYNs also means rural women have poor access to postpartum care. This is alarming since one-third of maternal deaths happen one week to a year after giving birth. Hence, the problem of services in remote areas restricts market growth.

Global mother and child healthcare market opportunities

Rise in reproductive tourism

Reproductive tourism is the practice of travelling to other countries for fertility treatments. The critical reasons for reproductive tourism are legal prohibitions, stringent regulations, the non-availability of fertility procedures in home countries, lower costs, and technological advancements in fertility tourism destinations. However, it should be noted that different countries have different sets of regulations regarding fertility tourism. For instance, Costa Rica recently lifted a 16-year-old ban on IVF. Furthermore, since American infertility treatments have a greater success rate than those in Europe, many people, especially Europeans, prefer to travel to North America for fertility tourism. Additionally, North America is favoured for fertility tourism because of lax rules.

Regional Analysis

Region-wise, the global mother and child healthcare market share is analyzed across North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and LAMEA.

Predominance of asia-pacific over others

Asia-Pacific is the highest shareholder and is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 15.7% during the forecast period. A rise in mortality rates, an increase in the trend of late pregnancies, a surge in IVF success rates, and an increase in disposable income in the region are expected to contribute significantly to the Asia-Pacific mother and child healthcare market. For instance, one woman in India loses her life during childbirth every eight minutes, or nearly 56,000 times a year. Worldwide, 19% of maternal deaths are attributable to this. The two leading causes of death are eclampsia and excessive bleeding (hemorrhage) (high blood pressure). In addition, social issues, including early marriage and childbearing—where 47% of females marry before 18—are major driving factors for market expansion.

North America is the second largest region and is projected to reach USD 405.0 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 11.4%. Due to its large population, raising awareness of maternity services and fertility treatments, the increasing popularity of in vitro fertilization (IVF) in the United States, the growing rate of infertility, technological advancements, and delayed pregnancy trends, North America offers profitable opportunities for players operating in the mother and child healthcare market. It is also projected that an increase in the trend of women delaying childbearing will fuel market expansion.

Europe is the third-largest region. WHO/Europe has regular collaborative agreements on this particular issue with several countries, and national professional staff is based in the WHO country offices specifically to support health system reform. The region has also witnessed substantial investments from global market leaders. In addition, the overall outlook for the European market looks promising as its superior IVF technology attracts considerable investments from private equity investors. In addition, DIY (do-it-yourself) testing has increased access and helped in reducing costs for infertility testing and treatment. Both these factors provide lucrative opportunities for market growth.

Segmental Analysis

The global mother and child healthcare market share is segmented into services, maternal age, location, and region.

Services-wise, the global mother and child healthcare market is categorized into Prenatal, Birthing, Postnatal, and Fertility.

The Postnatal Service is the highest contributor to the market and is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 13.3% during the forecast period. In 2016, the WHO proposed ANC (antenatal care) model that offers pregnant women respectful, individualized, person-centred care at every contact and ensures that each contact delivers effective, integrated clinical practices (interventions and tests), provides relevant and timely information and offers psychosocial and emotional support. Moreover, a new model of ANC increases maternal and fetal assessments to detect problems, improves communication between health providers and pregnant women, and increases the likelihood of positive pregnancy outcomes. Hence, this advancement in prenatal care service further drives the market growth.

The Birthing Service segment is the second largest. Prenatal care is provided at the birth centre to women who have undergone meticulous screening early in their pregnancies to track their health. Additionally, a range of medical specialists, including registered nurses, CNMs, and doulas (trained workers who give labour support and postpartum care), work at birth centers. Medical interventions are uncommon, and a doctor is typically not present. However, the majority of birthing facilities collaborate with obstetric and pediatric experts. Nurse-midwives offer care during a woman's pregnancy, labour, and delivery. If one experiences issues that move them into a higher risk category, OB/GYN consultants are readily available. As a result, all of these variables fuel market expansion.

Maternal age-wise, the global mother and child healthcare market is divided into under 20, 21 to 30, 31 to 38, and 39 and above.

The 21 to 30 segment is the highest contributor to the market and is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 13.3% during the forecast period. Women can become pregnant and give birth precisely from puberty, when they first start having periods, until menopause. In addition, women's average reproductive years range from 12 to 51 years old. Age-related reductions in fertility may make it more challenging to conceive and begin a family later in life and may increase the risk of pregnancy difficulties. The optimal window for conception is from the late 20s to the early 30s. The best results for both mother and child are related to this age range.

The 31 to 38 segment is the fastest growing. Women are born with eggs and have around 2 billion of them. However, the number of eggs gradually falls over the years. By age 37, only about 25,000 eggs are left in women. By age 51, only 1,000 eggs are left. However, even with this high number of eggs, the quality decreases with age. As a woman ages, her risk of acquiring diseases like endometriosis and tubal disease, which can harm fertility, also rises. Therefore, due to these conditions, fertility steadily decreases starting at about age 32. Fertility begins to decline more quickly between the ages of 35 and 37.

Location-wise, the global mother and child healthcare market is segmented into Hospitals, In-Home Services, Nursing Homes & Clinics, and Online.

The Hospitals segment is the highest contributor to the market and is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 13.4% during the forecast period. Different hospitals provide various mother and child healthcare services for patients worldwide. Alliance with academic institutes/universities and availability of government funding are the major factors that drive the growth of the hospital segment. 

The Online segment is the fastest growing. Online maternal care is a preferable alternative for these pregnant women since it can provide pregnancy-related information and remote clinic consultations. Parents use several sources to gather information about their child's health care, including the internet. In 2008, an Australian study found that 43% of parents search for child health information on the internet, with higher rates reported in other developed countries. Such factors drive market growth. 

Recent Developments

• July 2022 - Cleveland Clinic was awarded a USD 14.2 million grant from the National Institutes of Health for atrial fibrillation research. The five-year award will support four synergistic projects to improve and find new treatments for patients with atrial fibrillation, the most frequent cardiac rhythm abnormality. 
• June 2022 - According to a Cleveland Clinic study, persons with obesity who underwent bariatric surgery to lose weight had a 32% reduced chance of acquiring cancer and a 48% lower risk of dying from cancer than adults who did not. The study was released in JAMA.