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The maternal mortality ratio (MMR) in India is 450 deaths per 100,000 live births. In comparison, Congo had an MMR of 740, Nigeria 1,100 and Afghanistan 1,800 per 100,000 births. India’s
neighbors are far better off. While Bangladesh reported 21,000 deaths with an MMR of 570, Pakistan recorded 15,000 deaths with MMR of 320, China had 7,800 deaths with MMR of 45 and Nepal 6,500 deaths with MMR of 830 in 2005. Sri Lanka recorded 190 deaths with MMR of 58.
Poverty, hunger and disease were the three main reasons why 99% of the deaths in 2005 occurred in
developing countries. Together, the regions of sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia accounted for 86% of the world’s maternal deaths in 2005.
Nearly 20 million unsafe abortions, a major factor in maternal deaths and illness, are done annually,’’ said Nils
Daulaire, president of the Global Health Council.
According to an Indian health ministry expert, the recently released
NFHS-III findings could explain why maternal mortality is a cause of such shame for India. ‘‘NFHS-III found that women in India lack quality care during pregnancy and childbirth. Almost one in four women (23%), who gave birth in the last eight years, received no antenatal care, ranging from 1% or less in Kerala and Tamil Nadu to 66% in Bihar. At least 40% of pregnant women did not get any antenatal care in Jharkhand, Arunachal Pradesh and
Nagaland,’’he said.
The quality of antenatal care also needs improvement in India. ‘‘Only 65% of women receiving antenatal care received iron and folic acid supplements, and only 23% took the supplements for at least 90 days. Only 4% of expectant mothers took a deworming drug during pregnancy. Failure to take an iron supplement and deworming drugs increases the risk of
anaemia, a major problem for mothers and children in India,’’ an expert said.
NFHS-III found that 37% of deliveries were assisted by a traditional birth attendant, and 16% were delivered by a relative or other untrained person.
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