India recorded 19,000 maternal deaths in 2023, making up 7.2% of global fatalities, according to a United Nations report. The country ranked second worldwide in maternal deaths, sharing the position with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and second only to Nigeria. India recorded an average of 52 deaths every day, the report added.
The report by the World Health Organisation (WHO), UNICEF, the UN Population Fund, the World Bank, and the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, added that India’s Maternal Mortality Ratio was 362 in 2000 and came down to 80 in 2023, marking a decline of 78 percent in the last two decades.
Also Read | Aid cuts could have ‘pandemic-like effects’ on maternal deaths: UN
Maternal death refers to the death of a woman during pregnancy or childbirth related complications.
While Nigeria reported approximately 75,000 deaths in 2023, China registered just 1,400 maternal deaths during the same period. Nigeria, India, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Pakistan (with 11,000 deaths) accounted for almost half (47 percent) of all maternal deaths globally in 2023, according to the report.
Also Read | WHO Notes that Many Pregnancy-Related Complications Go Undetectable, Untreated
Overall, a 40 percent global decline in maternal deaths was seen between 2000 and 2023—largely due to improved access to essential health services, said a statement by WHO. Most maternal deaths, the report said, are preventable. The leading causes include haemorrhage, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, infections, and unsafe abortions.
“While this report shows glimmers of hope, the data also highlights how dangerous pregnancy still is in much of the world today — despite the fact that solutions exist to prevent and treat the complications that cause the vast majority of maternal deaths,” Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director General, said in the statement.
Health Ministry calls out India and Nigeria’s comparison
Reacting to the report, the Indian Health Ministry said comparing India’s MMR to Nigeria is unfair. “The comparison is not entirely fair when considering the total populations of the two countries (Nigeria: 23.26 crore, India: 145 crore).”
