Tamil Nadu Records Decline in Maternal Mortality Ratio

Quick Summary

• Tamil nadu’s Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) decreased from 38 to 35 per 1,00,000 live births between 2020-2022 and 2021-2023 according to the Sample Registration System’s “Special Bulletin on Maternal Mortality in India.”
• Tamil Nadu now holds the second-lowest MMR nationally after Kerala and Andhra Pradesh (30). The national average stands at 88.
• Sustained efforts like enhanced tracking of pregnant women and periodic health worker training have contributed to improvements, according to A. Somasundaram, Director of Public Health and Preventive Medicine.
• Efforts focus on maternal health risks during pregnancy through planning delivery locations for high-risk cases like obesity or prior caesarean history. Home deliveries are being discouraged.
• Under-served districts such as Tiruvannamalai, Nagapattinam, Ramanathapuram, hill areas (Nilgiris), and remote regions require targeted interventions for better access to healthcare services.
• Recommendations include recruiting specialists willing to work in under-served areas through walk-in interviews and increasing staff nurse ratios at emergency obstetric care centres.

Indian Opinion Analysis

Tamil Nadu’s consistent reduction in maternal mortality highlights it’s focused approach toward improving women’s healthcare standards. its achievement positions it amongst states with exemplary public health systems but also reveals gaps that demand attention-particularly in rural or remote regions lacking accessibility or resources. Expanding specialist recruitments via localized measures appears practical but must be effectively implemented for these efforts to succeed.

The suggestion of creating midwifery cadres underscores the global benchmark practice of ensuring closer patient-to-nurse ratios during childbirth care processes-a step that could significantly bolster outcomes across India if adopted broadly. As Tamil Nadu narrows its equity gap between urban centers & less served districts remains vital.xpath