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Mumbai: Annually, as many as 21 million pregnancies in India are unintended, pointed out Dr Sunita Tandulwadkar, the newly appointed President of the Federation of Obstetric and Gynecological Societies of India (FOGSI), in her first address. Calling attention to the alarming figure, she unveiled plans to collaborate with govt agencies to reduce maternal mortality rates by focusing on improving family preparedness for childbirth.
Maternal mortality, which refers to the death of a woman during pregnancy or within 42 days of its conclusion due to pregnancy-related causes, remains a significant public health challenge in India. A United Nations report ‘Trends in Maternal Mortality 2000 to 2020′ highlights a reduction in maternal deaths in India — from 384 per 1,00,000 live births in 2000 to 103 per 1,00,000 in 2020. However, the report also noted that the country recorded 24,000 maternal deaths in 2020 alone.
“We are exploring ways to work more closely with the govt,” said Dr Tandulwadkar. The 46,000 doctors associated with FOGSI will collect data from approximately one million women, focusing on pre-existing health conditions such as haemoglobin levels, blood pressure, blood sugar, and weight. This data will be shared with govt agencies to help shape targeted policy interventions aimed at improving maternal health outcomes. Additionally, FOGSI plans to promote HPV vaccination among 50 lakh women to reduce the incidence of cervical cancer. tnn
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