iarjimphIARJIMPHIARJIMPH2709-331X10.47310/iarjimph.2025.v06i01.008Safe Motherhood: A Study on Public Awareness of Antenatal Care and Maternal Health Services in Rural Himachal PradeshBackground: Safe motherhood, encompassing adequate antenatal care (ANC), proper maternal nutrition, and access to institutional deliveries, is crucial for improving maternal and neonatal outcomes. This study aims to assess public awareness and understanding of antenatal care, maternal nutrition, and institutional delivery practices among women in rural Himachal Pradesh. Materials and Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional community-based survey was conducted from January to March 2025 among 420 women aged 18–45 years, either currently pregnant or having delivered within the past two years. Participants were selected using a multistage random sampling technique across selected rural districts. Data were collected via a structured, bilingual (Hindi and English) questionnaire through face-to-face interviews conducted by trained investigators. Knowledge scores were calculated, and awareness levels were classified into very good, good, fair, and poor categories. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics in IBM SPSS version 26.0. Results: The majority of participants (39.3%) were aged 26–35 years, and 90.0% were married. Educational attainment was moderate, with 36.2% having secondary education and 34.0% holding undergraduate degrees. Regarding awareness, 80.0% correctly identified the WHO-recommended minimum of four ANC visits, 83.8% recognized blood pressure monitoring as a critical ANC component, and 81.2% understood the impact of poor maternal nutrition on birth outcomes. However, awareness of government schemes like Janani Suraksha Yojana (63.8%) and Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (60.7%) was relatively low. A high proportion (85.7%) acknowledged the safety of institutional deliveries. Overall, 29.3% of participants demonstrated very good awareness, 46.2% good awareness, 19.0% fair awareness, and 5.5% poor awareness. Conclusion: While general awareness about antenatal care and maternal health services among rural women in Himachal Pradesh is encouraging, significant knowledge gaps persist, especially regarding financial support schemes and comprehensive nutrition during pregnancy. Focused educational interventions, strengthening frontline healthcare services, and community-driven strategies are essential to bridge these gaps and achieve safe motherhood universally in rural populations.