New Delhi: India’s maternal mortality ratio has dropped below 100 for the first time with eight large states including Karnataka already achieving a target set by the United Nations as a mark of improved health outcomes for the developing world.
The Registrar General of India on Tuesday released its latest bulletin on MMR showing India’s maternal mortality ratio falling to 97 per 100,000 live births in 2018-20 from 103 in 2017-19.
Eight states including each of the five southern ones have reached the UN Sustainable Development Goal target of reaching an MMR of 70 per 100,000 births much before the 2030 deadline.
India’s maternal mortality ratio has dropped below 100 for the first time with eight large states including Karnataka already achieving a target set by the United Nations as a mark of improved health outcomes for the developing world.
Maternal death is defined as death of a woman while pregnant or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy, irrespective of the duration and site of the pregnancy, from any cause related to or aggravated by the pregnancy or its management but not
from accidental or incidental causes.
Among the states mapped by the bulletin, MMR is the lowest in Kerala at 19 deaths and the highest in Assam at 195.
MMR in Punjab and Haryana continues to be higher than the national average of 97.
In Punjab, it is 105 deaths per one lakh live births and in Haryana it is 110 deaths.
The highest number of maternal deaths nationally — 32 pc—happened in the 20 to 24 year age group followed by 30 pc in 25-29 years and 20 pc in 30 to 34 years.
Even at the adolescent level 15 to 10 years, the bulletin has revealed 6 pc of all maternal deaths, indicating child marriages remain rampant.
Health minister Mansukh Mandaviya said various healthcare schemes of PM Narendra Modi had endured quality maternal and reproductive care which has further brought down MMR tremendously.
