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If you would ever ask a woman to list down the most happiest and memorable days of her life, she would definitely mention the day she became a mother. This is one day which is close to every woman’s heart. But what a recent UN report suggests is a complete shame for India. It stated that an estimated 80,000 pregnant women and new mothers die each year in India from preventable causes, including hemorrhage, eclampsia, sepsis and anemia, making it an average of 301 deaths for every 100,000 live births annually.

And this is just what the official records say. There are numerous maternal deaths which go unnoticed or not included in these records as they occur at homes or before an expectant mother reaches a medical facility for help. The actual numbers could be much higher.

Well, there are various reasons behind these maternal deaths, the most prominent one being the lack of facilities and awareness. To find out more reasons, UNICEF has launched the maternal and parental death enquiry and response (MAPEDIR). It has already come across 1600 cases across 6 Indian states to identify medical and social reasons behind these deaths.

The problem is not only with India. Recently UNICEF found out that 5, 00,000 women across the globe die unnecessarily due to complications during pregnancy and child birth.

Lack of awareness has been a major cause of concern in this context. Most women in rural areas still prefer delivering at homes rather than seeking proper medical help. When the cases are critical, it results in maternal deaths due to lack of medical attention. So a lot of work needs to be done in this aspect. Also women themselves should try to take an initiative and help themselves in ensuring a safe delivery.