As per recent Lancet report, India accounted for about 24,700 of global 2.4 lakh maternal deaths in 2023.
About Maternal Mortality
- Meaning: Refers to death of woman while pregnant or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy, irrespective of duration and site of pregnancy, from any cause related pregnancy or its management except accidental or incidental causes (WHO).
- Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR): Key Indicator for its measurement, defined as number of maternal deaths during a given time period per 100,000 live births during same period.
- Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 3.1 aims at reducing global MMR to less than 70 per 100,000 live births.
Key Reasons for High Maternal Mortality in India
- Medical Causes: Haemorrhage, followed by infection and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy.
- Cultural and Social Factors: Traditional belief and social norms coupled with familial pressures, poverty and lack of education.
- Access to Care: Delay in care due to inappropriate referrals or poor emergency preparedness, etc.
Measures to Improve Maternal Mortality in India
- Accomplishment of National Health Policy (NHP) 2017 target for MMR: India achieved the target of MMR (less than 100 per 1,00,000 live births by 2020).
- National Health Mission (NHM) and Maternal Health: Includes Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, Adolescent Health, and Nutrition (RMNCAH+N) strategy, encompassing key programmes like
- Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) for institutional delivery.
- Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) offering maternity benefit.
- State level Best Practices: Tamil Nadu’s Emergency Obstetric Care; Madhya Pradesh’s community driven Dastak Abhiyan; etc.
