Maternal Death Rate in India Amongst Highest in the World

Every year, about 78,000 mothers die in childbirth and from complications of pregnancy in India, according to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). Largely due to lack of qualified medical experts, be them midwives, doctors, or nurses, impoverished women in rural India are suffering and dying everyday. Lack of education is also a crucial component to this disturbing statistic. The average age of mothers in India is 17 years of age- and the majority of these mothers have had no formal education concerning reproduction. Lack of nutrients and anemia are also important factors contributing to the maternal death rate.