India and Nigeria accounted for over one-third of all estimated global maternal deaths in 2015, the Lok Sabha was informed today.
"As per Trends in Maternal Mortality:1990 to 2015, Nigeria and India account for over one-third of all estimated global maternal deaths in 2015 with an approximately 58,000 maternal deaths (19 per cent) contributed by Nigeria and 45,000 maternal deaths (15 per cent) contributed by India," Minister of State for Health Faggan Singh Kulaste said in written reply to a question.
The report was released by WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA, World Bank and the United Nations Population Division.
He said that the latest report of Registrar General of India - Sample Registration System also estimates that the Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) of India has declined from 212 in 2007-09 to 167 per 1,00,000 live births in 2011-13 which translates into a reduction of absolute numbers of maternal deaths from approximately 56,000 to 44,000 per year.
He said that besides medical causes, there are social determinants of health which also indirectly contributes to maternal mortality.
These include illiteracy, low social economic status, early age of marriage, poor knowledge of nutritional care during pregnancy and preference for home deliveries through family members or village dhais, and poor access to health facilities, he said.
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