Assam Records Highest Maternal Mortality Rate in 2018-20

Assam reported the highest Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) of 195 per lakh live births in 2018-2020. According to a special bulletin released by the office of the Registrar General of India, the MMR has declined from 130 per lakh live births in 2014-16 to 97 per lakh live births in 2018-2020.

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya attributed the improvement in the country's MMR to the Narendra Modi government's various healthcare initiatives.

According to World Health Organization, "Maternal death is the death of a woman while pregnant or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy, irrespective of the duration and site of the pregnancy, from any cause related to or aggravated by the pregnancy or its management but not from accidental or incidental causes."

According to the Special Bulletin on Maternal Mortality in India 2018-20, Assam, which has the highest MMR, is followed by Madhya Pradesh with MMR of 173 per lakh live births and Uttar Pradesh 167. Kerala, which has the lowest MMR, is followed by Maharashtra 33 and Telangana 43, the data revealed.

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