110,000 Indian women die every year due to childbirth problems

Minister of State for Health A. Raja told Lok Sabha, the lower house, that this was more than one-sixth of the total number of childbirth deaths in the world which stood at 600,000. Raja said 27 countries have higher maternal mortality rates than India.

He said the main cause of the deaths were haemorrhage, obstructed labour, abortion, toxemia of pregnancy and anaemia. The minister said low level of education, lack of access to health services, poverty, the low socioeconomic status of women and cultural misconceptions also contributed to maternal mortality.

(la/dpa)