India Ranks Second in Global Maternal Deaths

On 7th April 2025, a UN report, titled “Trends in maternal mortality estimates 2000 to 2023,” revealed that India recorded 19,000 maternal deaths in 2023—an average of 52 every day—making it the country with the second-highest number of maternal deaths globally, alongside the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Key Points

Global Toll: An estimated 2.6 lakh women died worldwide due to pregnancy-related complications in 2023—approximately one death every two minutes.
India’s Rank: India and the DRC both recorded 19,000 maternal deaths in 2023, second only to Nigeria’s 75,000 deaths.
Top Contributors: Nigeria, India, DRC, and Pakistan together accounted for nearly 50% of global maternal deaths.
Preventable Causes: Leading causes include haemorrhage, hypertensive disorders, infections, unsafe abortions, and chronic illnesses like diabetes and heart disease.
MMR Decline: India’s Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) dropped by 78%, from 362 in 2000 to 80 in 2023.
China’s Contrast: China, with a similar population, reported only 1,400 maternal deaths in 2023, with its MMR falling from 56 to 16 since 2000.
Global Trend: Maternal deaths fell by 40% globally from 2000 to 2023, but progress has slowed since 2016.
Aid Cuts Impact: Humanitarian aid cuts are disrupting health services—closing hospitals, creating medicine shortages, and affecting access to lifesaving care.