Karnataka health and family welfare department has reported that a total of 1,046 expecting mothers in the state have succumbed during pregnancy or after delivery in 2008-09 as against to 951 in 2007-08.

The leading causes of death during pregnancy are haemorrhages, anaemia, sepsis and abortion resulting out of social economic status, illiteracy, early marriage and easy access to healthcare.

Around 17 per cent of fatal cases occurred during the course of pregnancy, 28 per cent died while delivering a baby and 55 per cent after delivery. It is also noted that 45 per cent of the deaths occurred after delivery, said Dr Usha Vasunkar, director, Karnataka health and family welfare department.

At least 75 per cent of these deaths are preventable. The audit has helped to examine each maternal death as a sentinel event. It has reviewed all healthcare interactions between a woman and health personnel, providing a timeline of health-seeking actions and corresponding care, she added.

The state health department has conducted a massive survey to assess the number of maternal deaths. In the Maternal Audit Report it has revealed that the number of deaths have increased from 107 per one lakh new mothers in 2007-08 to 110 per one lakh in 2008-09.

Conditions of haemorrhages account for 30 per cent of the maternal deaths, 12 per cent occur due to anaemia and 7 per cent due to sepsis and one percent due to abortion, a according to the audit report.

The audit which began in 2008 obtained accurate maternal mortality rates in order to assess the quality and accessibility of healthcare services. This would help to rectify and redesign the existing policies and programmes to control the maternal mortality rate in the state.

The three level team headed by the state health commissioner, district commissioner and thasildhar respectively collected the data from hospitals, primary health centres and municipalities and the corporation.

To encourage the public to report the maternal deaths, the department has also offered Rs 200 to the informant. This may be increased to Rs 500.

As 42 per cent of these of these deaths are blood related, efforts are being made to provide quick and early transport and set-up blood storage units at the first referral units. Also Iron tablets are given to pregnant women after four months of pregnancy.

Under the Prasuti Arike scheme, a pregnancy care incentive of Rs 2,000 is given to below poverty line mothers in two instalments which is pre and post pregnancy period, said Dr Vasunkar