Maternal Mortality Remains High in India, Despite Slow Decline

The Guttmacher Institute released a report, Barriers to Safe Motherhood in India, on July 29th indicating that although maternal mortality in India seems to be declining, it remains unacceptably high. Highlights from the report include:

• India contributes nearly one-quarter of the world's maternal deaths, so its insufficient progress in reducing maternal mortality imperils not only its own targets, but also the global achievement of the Millennium Development Goal to reduce maternal mortality by 75% from 1990 levels by 2015.
• A recent decline in fertility has greatly helped to lower the number of Indian women dying from these causes and their lifetime risk of maternal death.
• Hemorrhage is the leading cause of maternal death in India; it is responsible for nearly two-fifths of all maternal deaths and thus accounts for half of the direct causes.
• Women's receipt of any professional pre-natal or delivery care has increased dramatically - - by one-half and one-third, respectively.
• Recently enacted programs to improve the safety of pregnancy and childbirth are likely behind the substantial increase in the proportion of women attended by trained professionals at delivery.

What does this report mean for Indian women living abroad, specifically in a time where money and resources can be more scarce?