UN Report On Maternal And Infant Health:
New report from the United Nations (UN) has found that progress in reducing the number of women and babies who die every year during pregnancy, childbirth, or the first weeks after birth has stopped since 2015.
Key Findings of the Report:
- The report highlights that India is at the forefront of the global burden of maternal deaths, stillbirths, and newborn deaths, representing 17% of the total.
- Following India, countries with the highest number of absolute maternal and neonatal deaths and stillbirths in 2020 are Nigeria, Pakistan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Bangladesh, China, Indonesia, Afghanistan and Tanzania.
- The key findings of the report revealed how gains made between 2000 and 2010 were faster than they have been in the years since 2010 and how it should be in the next decade to meet global targets.
Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR):
- MMR observed an annual reduction rate of 2.8% between 2000 and 2009, which decreased to 1.3% between 2010 and 2020.
- Maternal mortality ratio refers to the number of maternal deaths per 1,000 live births in a given population or region.
- It is a crucial indicator of the health and well-being of women during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postnatal period.
- An improvement of reducing this indicator by 11.9% is required in the next decade to meet global targets of an MMR equivalent to 70 deaths per 1,000 live births.
Stillbirth Rate (SBR):
- Between 2000 and 2009, the SBR was reduced by 2.3% and by 1.8% between 2010 and 2021.
- The SBR is defined as the number of babies born with no signs of life at 28 weeks or more of gestation, per 1,000 total births.
- A 5.2% reduction is required between 2022 and 2030 to meet global targets of less than 12 stillbirths per 1,000 live births.
Neonatal Mortality Rate (NMR):
- NMR records a similar trend; a 3.2% reduction between 2000 and 2009, 2.2% reduction between 2010 and 2021.
- Neonatal mortality rate refers to the number of deaths of infants within the first 28 days of life per 1,000 live births.
- NMR needs to be reduced by another 7.2% between 2022 and 2030 to meet the global target of ending newborn mortality.
