Maternal Deaths in India: A Review of Trends and Programmes

High-quality services during childbirth in a health care facility reduce maternal morbidity and mortality. High maternal mortality in India is a critical concern. In an attempt to decrease the maternal mortality rate (MMR), the Government of India has launched many programmes. This article discusses the trends in maternal mortality in India with the inter-state disparities. As per Sample Registration System (SRS), MMR in India was estimated to be 556 in 1990, but globally it was only 385 at that time. India has achieved about a 77% reduction in maternal mortality compared to the global average of 43% between 2005 and 2017, but a huge inter-state disparity in maternal death still exists. Approximately 65%-75% of the estimated maternal deaths in India occur in a few states, including the eight Empowered Action Group (EAG) states (Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand), and Assam. For instance, the MMR reported for Assam (state which has the highest MMR) was 215 in 2017-18 which is five times higher than that of Kerala (43), which has the least MMR of all states. Most of the maternal deaths are due to direct causes and are largely preventable and treatable. There was a consistent reduction in MMR as a result of a number of interventions and programmes including Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) which helped in surging institutional deliveries.