Over 3 lakh newborns die within 24 hours of birth annually

An estimated 56,000 maternal deaths are reported annually and 3,09,000 newborns die within 24 hours of birth, the Lok Sabha was informed today.
Quoting the State of World's Mothers Report, 2013 Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said major causes of maternal deaths are hemorrhage, sepsis, abortion, hypertensive disorders and obstructed labour. Other causes include anaemia.
Azad said as according to the Sample Registration System report published by the Registrar General of India, the infant mortality rate (IMR) in the country is 44 per 1,000 live births.
For 2007-09, the maternal mortality ratio is 212 per 1,00,000 live births.
Azad said key steps to reduce infant, child and mortality rates are being undertaken under the National Rural Health Mission.

He said the commonest cause of infant and under-five mortality rates are perinatal conditions, respiratory infections, diarrhoeal diseases, nutritional deficiencies among others.