Maternal Mortality Trends

Why in News: The UN’s “Trends in Maternal Mortality: 2000–2023” report highlights India’s maternal mortality trends.

India’s Contribution: India is the second-largest contributor to global maternal deaths (7.2%) after Nigeria. 19,000 maternal deaths were recorded in India in 2023.

India’s Progress: India’s MMR has decreased significantly, from 384 in 2000 to 80 in 2023, an 86% decline since 1990, exceeding the global average.

Global Trends: Global MMR declined from 328 to 197 per 100,000 live births between 2000 and 2023 but the pace of progress has slowed.

Regional Disparities: Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest MMR (454), while Australia and New Zealand have the lowest. Significant variations exist within India as well, with some states lagging behind national average.

SDG Target: Achieving SDG target 3.1 (MMR below 70 by 2030) requires a much faster annual rate of reduction.

Concerns: Despite progress, India’s high absolute number of maternal deaths indicates gaps in healthcare access and quality.

Ministry’s Stand: The Union Health Ministry views comparing India’s MMR to Nigeria’s based on absolute numbers as misleading due to population differences.

Challenges: Access to skilled birth care in rural areas and the rise of NCDs like diabetes and hypertension contribute to maternal deaths. Humanitarian funding cuts are impacting essential healthcare.

Way Forward: Strengthen primary healthcare, focus on vulnerable regions, integrate policies with SDG 5 and 10, enhance data systems, and leverage digital platforms.