Mujeeb Amal Muhammed

Moldova

Socio-Demographic Determinants of Maternal Mortality in India

Mujeeb Amal Muhammed1

1. Faculty Medicine 2, 6th year medical student, Nicolae Testemitanu State University of Medicine and Pharmacy from the Republic of Moldova

Abstract

Background

Despite improvements, maternal mortality remains a critical issue in India. The
MMR decreased from 370 per 100,000 live births in 2000 to 103 in 2020, yet significant
disparities persist between states, ranging from 215 in Assam to 43 in Kerala. Various studies have shown that maternal mortality directly correlates to socio-economic and geographic contexts.

Methods

A systematic review of 54 published literature, scientific articles, and
statistical data from various Governmental Surveys, NGOs, and repositories such as PubMed and Medscape which focuses on maternal mortality in India.

Results

Urban women have a 94% institutional delivery rate versus 87% in rural areas. Women
with at least secondary education are 1.5 times more likely to seek antenatal care than those without formal education. Women from higher-income households have better access to maternal healthcare, including skilled attendants and postnatal care, compared to lower-income groups. Women from socially marginalised castes (Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe), where there is an increased incidence of child marriage, are significantly less likely to receive maternal healthcare services compared to women from forward castes. Furthermore, women from the Muslim religious community are less likely to use maternal healthcare services compared to women from other religious communities.

Conclusions

The socio-demographic determinants influencing maternal mortality in India
include urban-rural residency, education, income, caste, and religion. Implementing focused
strategies to overcome these disparities is key to transforming maternal health outcomes across India.