Explainer: Why Kerala's maternal mortality ratio has spiked
Kerala's maternal mortality ratio (MMR) has risen from 18 to 30 per lakh live births, according to the latest report for 2021-23.
Even with this jump, Kerala still ranks among India's safest states for mothers—tied with Andhra Pradesh.
The main reason behind the increase isn't failing healthcare; it's that there are fewer babies being born each year.
Fewer babies make MMR look higher
Kerala now sees about 3.9 lakh live births a year, down from over 5 lakh a decade ago.
Meanwhile, the number of maternal deaths has stayed steady at around 120-140 annually since 2014-15—including a spike during COVID in 2021.
Since MMR is calculated per lakh live births, fewer babies and stable deaths make the ratio look higher.
What is MMR and why it matters
MMR tells us how safe it is for mothers during pregnancy and childbirth—a lower number means better care and healthier moms.
Kerala keeps up strong hospital delivery rates and prenatal checkups, but rising maternal age brings new challenges.
Tracking these numbers helps shape smarter health policies so every mom gets safer care.