India inches towards UN's 2030 target, records significant decline in Maternal Mortality Rate

Maternal death is when a woman dies while pregnant or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy, from any cause related to or aggravated by the pregnancy or its management. India recorded a decline in MMR to 97 per lakh live births in 2018-19 as compared to 130 in 2014-16.

New Delhi, Nov 30: India has reported a decline in the Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR), from 130 points in 2014-16 to 97 points in 2018-20. The figures are as per the latest publication of the Sample Registration System (SRS) MMR bulletin.

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya also shared the news in a tweet. He said, "Significant decline in the MMR from 130 in 2014-16 to 97 per lakh live births in 2018-19. The various healthcare initiatives of Prime Minister Narendra Modi Government to ensure quality maternal and reproductive care have helped tremendously in bringing down MMR."

Counting every change in the country:

Maternal death is defined as the death of a woman while pregnant or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy, from any cause related to or aggravated by the pregnancy or its management. MMR is defined as the number of maternal deaths during a given time per 1,00,000 live births during the same time.

The SRS MMR bulletin is published by the Registrar General of India. The Registrar General of India is under the Ministry of Home Affairs. Apart from conducting the population census and monitoring the implementation of the registration of births and deaths in the country, it has been giving estimates on fertility and mortality using the SRS.

SRS is the largest demographic sample survey in the country that among other indicators provide direct estimates of maternal mortality through a nationally representative sample. Verbal Autopsy (VA) instruments are administered for the deaths reported under the SRS on a regular basis to yield a cause-specific mortality profile in the country.

Initiatives by the government:

Maternal mortality in a region is a measure of the reproductive health of women in the area. The country had been witnessing a progressive reduction in the MMR from 130 in 2014-2016, 122 in 2015-17, 113 in 2016-18, and to 103 in 2017-19. India was on the verge of achieving the National Health Policy (NHP) target of 100/lakh live births by 2020 and on track to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals target of 70/ lakh live births by 2030.

The Indian government is implementing various schemes in this regard like Janani Suraksha Yojana under the NHP to link cash assistance to institutional deliveries. The Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA) provides a fixed day for assured, comprehensive and quality antenatal care free of cost to pregnant women on 9th of every month. Other schemes include Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana, Poshan Abhiyan and LaQshya Guidelines.

Among Indian states, Kerala has the lowest MMR at 19 while Assam, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh have reported significantly higher MMR at 195, 173 and 167 respectively.