Maternal Morbidity and Estimates from Community Studies in India.

ABSTRACT

First phase of implementation of national rural health mission was completed with 11th plan. Reviews are regularly conducted to monitor the achievements of goals which include reduction of maternal mortality ratio, which is an emerging priority. Due to inherent difficulties in definition, data compilation studies are infrequent. Maternal mortality to morbidity ratio varies from 5 to 223. The morbidities range from mild to severe almost near miss case. The criteria for inclusion of a patient in severe acute maternal morbidity on organ/system failure/dysfunction seem to be objective but availability of diagnostic facilities is the limiting factor. The simple criterion based on some diseases or conditions is widely accepted. Usually magnitude is recorded high when disease or condition criteria are used and low when failure or dysfunction criteria are used. Community-based studies are scarce. National level surveys provide limited information. In such type of studies, morbidities are self-reported and hence the magnitude is very high. The district level household survey-3 recorded morbidity in 93.3% women. Very few studies were carried out before 2001. Studies in this millennium have been deliberated. Women having some postnatal depression ranged from 11 to 33%.