Original Research Article
Year: 2017 | Month: November | Volume: 7 | Issue: 11 | Pages: 176-184
Determinants Affecting Infant and Maternal Mortality in Madhya Pradesh
Prerna Singh1, Shibu John2
1Department of Health and Hospital Management, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi
2Associate Professor, Department of Health and Hospital Management Management, Jamia Hamdard University, New Delhi
Corresponding Author: Prerna Singh
ABSTRACT
India is among those countries which have very high infant and maternal mortality rate. In Madhya Pradesh, IMR and MMR are much higher. About 303,000 women die each year due to pregnancy related causes. Various social, economic, demographic and environment factors play essential role in infant and maternal morbidity and mortality. The objective of this study is to analyze determinants and magnitude of maternal and infant mortality in different districts of Madhya Pradesh with several performance indicators and institutional delivery affecting infant and maternal mortality rate. The data collected from available health records such as AHS and SRS. The data presents that there are regional variations in the level of infant and maternal mortality therefore priority to be given to the districts where mortality rates are high. The reason mother’s non-availing hospital treatments were financial constraints, illiteracy, and distance to health facilities, cultural factors, quality care and lack of health awareness.
Infant mortality is consistently higher among children born to illiterate mothers, home births assisted by traditional birth attendants and lowest among the hospital births. Maternal and infant mortality is also higher in households that do not have access to safe drinking water and sanitation. Only few doctors were available for several institutional deliveries. Thus, to improve the status of institutional deliveries in real sense the healthcare system in the state need to be updated with expansion of bed capacities and enhanced health facilities with quality care. It is significant to improve road and transport infrastructure to reduce inequity in access to health facilities. The birth preparedness and complication readiness schemes in health settings should be enforced for effectively bringing down infant and maternal mortality rates. An increase in the density of health facilities and providers in rural areas will significantly help in improving maternal and infant care.
Key words: MMR, IMR, Determinants, Institutional delivery