India witnesses approximately 21 million unintended pregnancies annually, revealed Dr. Sunita Tandulwadkar, the newly appointed President of the Federation of Obstetric and Gynecological Societies of India (FOGSI). She called the figure alarming and outlined plans to collaborate with government agencies to reduce maternal mortality by improving family preparedness for childbirth.
In India, maternal mortality—which is defined as the death of women dying during pregnancy or within 42 days after giving birth—remains a serious public health concern. According to the United Nations report Trends in Maternal Mortality 2000 to 2020, maternal deaths in India have declined significantly – from 384 per 1,00,000 live births in 2000 to 103 per 1,00,000 in 2020. Despite this progress, India recorded 24,000 maternal fatalities in 2020 alone.
Dr. Tandulwadkar emphasized the need for a data-driven approach to address maternal health issues. “We are exploring ways to work more closely with the government,” she said. FOGSI, comprising 46,000 doctors, plans to collect data from nearly 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 government agencies to design targeted interventions for improving maternal health outcomes.
Additionally, FOGSI plans to promote HPV vaccination among 50 lakh women to combat cervical cancer, a leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women in India.
The initiative underscores a renewed commitment to addressing maternal health challenges and enhancing women’s overall well-being in the country.
