This article highlights the state of maternal and newborn health and traditional practices observed by tribes of central India. The study presents a review of micro level studies conducted in undivided Madhya Pradesh state and wherever needed these results are supported or compared with the national and state level statistics. The study demonstrates that utilisation of maternal and child health services is very poor among the tribes of central India. Clinically acceptable maternal and newborn care practices for delivery, cord cutting and care, bathing of mother and newborn and skin massage are uncommon. Therefore, newborns remain at high risk of hypothermia, sepsis and other infections. Prelacteals, supplementary feeding practices and delay in breastfeeding are very common, although colostrum is less frequently discarded. Malnutrition is a severe problem among tribes and many tribal children and women are severely malnourished as well as anaemic.