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to achieving even the “ MORTALITY

Pradesh, Jharkhand, Telangana, dia’s present MMR is below the Millen-
Gujarat, Uttarakhand, West Bengal, nium Development Goal (MDG) target
Karnataka and Haryana. This was India seems on track and puts the country on track to achieve
the result of institutional deliveries, the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG)
quality and improved coverage of target of an MMR below 70 by 2030.
health services.
Haemorrhage remains the lead- Sustainable Development hat are the key factors re-
ing cause of maternal mortality, Goal (SDG) target for sponsible for India’s remark-
accounting for over one quarter (27 W able achievement? Since 2005,
per cent) of deaths. Similar propor- reducing MMR by 2025, five coverage of essential maternal health
tion of maternal deaths were caused years ahead of timeline of services has doubled, while the propor-
indirectly by pre-existing medical tion of institutional deliveries in public
conditions aggravated by the preg- 2030. This was the result facilities has almost tripled. The welfare
nancy. Hypertensive disorders of of institutional deliveries, schemes like the Janani Shishu Suraksha
pregnancy, especially eclampsia, as Karyakram — which allows all pregnant
well as sepsis, embolism and compli- quality and improved women delivering in public health insti-
cations of unsafe abortion also claim coverage of health services tutions to free transport and no-expense
a substantial number of lives. delivery, including caesarian section —
The complications leading to has largely closed the urban-rural divide
maternal death can occur without to provide blood transfusions needed to traditionally seen in institutional births.
warning at any time during preg- perform Caesarean sections or other sur- Overall, 75 per cent of rural births are
nancy and childbirth. Most maternal gical interventions. now supervised, as compared to 89 per
deaths can be prevented if births are According to Dr. PoonamKhetrapal cent of urban deliveries. Also the women
attended by skilled health person- Singh, the first woman to assume the in India are more literate than ever, with
nel — doctors, nurses or midwives — office of WHO Regional Director for 68 per cent now able to read and write.
who are regularly supervised, have South-East Asia the United Nation’s Sus- They are also entering marriage at an
the proper equipment and supplies, tainable Development Goals require In- older age, with just 27 per cent now wed-
and can refer women in a timely dia to bring down its MMR to 70 by 2030. ded before the age of 18. Campaigns such
manner to emergency obstetric care According to her, WHO commends as the Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matrit-
when complications are diagnosed. India for its groundbreaking progress va Abhiyan have been introduced with
Complications require prompt in recent years in reducing the mater- great impact, allowing women access to
access to quality obstetric services nal mortality ratio (MMR) by 77 per cent, antenatal check-ups. This has checked
equipped with life-saving drugs, in- from 556 per 100 000 live births in 1990 the maternal mortality or deaths due
cluding antibiotics, and the ability to 130 per 100 000 live births in 2016. In- to complications from pregnancy or
childbirth.
The details of States/UTs who have
1 Andhra Pradesh 74 achieved National Health Policy target of
MMR 100 per lakh live births well ahead
2 Jharkhand 76 of 2020 is as under:
3 Gujarat 87 India has seen a decline of six per cent
in the number of maternal mortalities,
4 Haryana 98 according to latest figures compiled by
5 Karnataka 97 the Registrar General of India.
The decline has been most significant
6 Kerala 42 in Empowered Action Group States —
7 Maharashtra 55 Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh,
Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Rajasthan, Uttar
8 Tamil Nadu 63 Pradesh and Uttarakhand and Assam.
9 Telangana 76 Among the Southern States include
Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka,
10 Uttarakhand 89 Kerala and Tamil Nadu the decline has
11 West Bengal 94 been from 77 to 72 and in the other States
from 93 to 90.
Source: Sample Registration System Report of Registrar General of India
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