Karnataka records highest maternal mortality ratio in south India

Karnataka has the highest Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) in South India at 68 deaths per 100,000 live births, exceeding the southern average of 42.

Published on: Sep 16, 2025, 15:14:36 IST

By Yamini C S, Bengaluru

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Karnataka has reported the highest Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) among South Indian states, according to the 2021–23 Special Bulletin on Maternal Mortality released by the Office of the Registrar General of India. The state recorded 68 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births, well above the southern average of 42 and higher than Kerala (30), Tamil Nadu (35), Andhra Pradesh (30), and Telangana (59).

Karnataka's MMR highlights vulnerabilities in maternal health despite better performance compared to high-burden northern states. (Unsplash)

While Karnataka performs better than the national average of 88 and significantly better than high-burden states in northern and central India, its figures remain a concern in the southern context. Karnataka is being seen as a vulnerable point in a region otherwise recognized for strong maternal and child health indicators.

Kerala and Andhra Pradesh have matched MMR levels seen in developed countries, with 30 deaths per 100,000 live births, while Tamil Nadu follows closely at 35. Even Telangana, at 59, fares better than Karnataka. The state’s lifetime risk of maternal death stands at 0.12 per cent, compared to just 0.05 per cent in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh, though still below the national risk of 0.18 per cent.

Nationally, India’s MMR has plateaued at 88, unchanged from 2020–22. While this reflects long-term progress from 130 in 2014–16, the stagnation raises concerns about achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goal of reducing MMR to below 70 by 2030.

The Empowered Action Group (EAG) states and Assam continue to bear the brunt, with a combined MMR of 118, almost three times the southern average. States like Odisha (153), Chhattisgarh (146), Madhya Pradesh (142), and Uttar Pradesh (141) report the highest maternal death rates. Their lifetime risk of maternal death is around 0.41 per cent, far above Karnataka’s 0.12 per cent and the national average.

By contrast, Maharashtra (36) and Gujarat (51) have shown better outcomes, while Punjab (90), Haryana (89), and West Bengal (104) still report concerning figures.

The bulletin highlighted that 64 per cent of maternal deaths occur in women aged 20–29, while 22 per cent deaths occur in women aged between 30-34. This underscores the urgent need for improved reproductive healthcare, antenatal services, and emergency obstetric care for younger women.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yamini C S
Yamini CS is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with nearly six years of experience in digital journalism. She is part of the India News desk, where she works on a wide range of stories cutting across civic issues, city-based developments, politics, governance, public policy, breaking news, trending topics, and international affairs that have an impact on India. Her role involves tracking fast-moving developments, verifying information from official and on-ground sources, and presenting news in a clear, accessible format for a digital-first audience. A significant part of her work includes handling live blogs during major news events, such as elections, court verdicts, political developments, civic disruptions, protests, weather-related alerts, and unfolding national or international incidents. Through live coverage, she focuses on timely updates to help readers follow complex stories as they evolve. Before moving to the broader India News desk, Yamini was associated with the Bengaluru desk at Hindustan Times, where she extensively covered urban governance, infrastructure, traffic and transport issues, weather events, public grievances, and civic administration in the city. This experience strengthened her grounding in city reporting and sharpened her focus on citizen-centric journalism. She began her career as a correspondent with Reuters after completing a postgraduate diploma in journalism from the Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media. Her early training instilled a strong emphasis on accuracy, sourcing, and news ethics, which continue to shape her reporting style. Outside of work, Yamini enjoys reading across genres, listening to music, and spending time with her family, which help her maintain balance in a fast-paced newsroom environment.Read More

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