State sees fewer maternal deaths during childbirth ›

SECOND LOWEST IN INDIA

The state government took up special programmes to ensure pregnant women and infants remain healthy. We started 248 first referral units for normal deliveries and C-sections. OFFICIAL, state government

MUMBAI : Maharashtra’s efforts to minimise maternal deaths during childbirth seems to be working as the state has the least number of maternal deaths in the country after Kerala. MMR is defined as the number of deaths during child birth or pregnancy per 100,000 live births in a period.

The maternal mortality ratio (MMR) of Maharashtra is 46 as per the Maternal Mortality in India 2016-18 report, conducted by the Office of Registrar General through sample registration system and released on Thursday. Kerala has the lowest MMR at 43 in the country.

The state has recorded constant improvement in MMR in the last few years.

In 2015-17, MMR in Maharashtra was 55, while in 2014-16, it was 61 and 68 in 2013-15, said health secretary Dr Pradeep Vyas.

Maharashtra has met the objective of the United Nation’s

Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), which aims to reduce the global maternal mortality ratio to less than 70 per 100,000 live births.

“The state has taken up special programmes to keep pregnant women and infants healthy. We have started 248 first referral units [FRU] which are being used for normal deliveries as well as for C-sections. FRUS are health facilities that are identified at the tertiary level, where all emergency and essential services are available in rural areas of the state,” said a senior state official, requesting anonymity of name.

Tamil Nadu has the third least deaths at 60, followed by Telangana (63), Andhra Pradesh (56), Jharkhand (71) and Gujarat (75), the report stated.

Assam recorded the highest MMR as it has 215 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births. The other states with highest maternal mortality ratio are Uttar Pradesh (197), Madhya Pradesh (183) and Rajasthan (164).

Apart from conducting population census and monitoring the implementation of registration of births and deaths in the country, the Office of the Registrar General, India, gives out estimates on fertility and mortality rates using the Sample Registration System (SRS).

SRS is the largest demographic sample survey in the country, which among other indicators, provides direct estimates of maternal mortality through a nationally representative sample.