Maternal Mortality Ratio fell to 93 per 100,000 live births

India has made substantial progress in maternal and child health outcomes, according to the Sample Registration System (SRS) 2021 Report, released by the Registrar General of India (RGI) on May 7, 2025, and the latest UN Maternal Mortality Estimation Inter-agency Group (UN-MMEIG) Report 2023. The data reveal remarkable improvements across key indicators, bringing the country closer to achieving its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR)

• National MMR fell to 93 per 100,000 live births (2019–21), from 130 in 2014–16 — a decline of 37 points.
• UN-MMEIG (2000–2023): India saw a 23-point drop in MMR from 2020 to 2023, marking an 86% reduction since 1990, far exceeding the global average of 48%.

8 States Have Achieved SDG MMR Target (≤70 by 2030):

• Kerala (20)
• Maharashtra (38)
• Telangana (45)
• Andhra Pradesh (46)
• Tamil Nadu (49)
• Jharkhand (51)
• Gujarat (53)
• Karnataka (63)

Child Mortality Indicators

Indicator	2014	2021	Improvement
Infant Mortality Rate (IMR)	39/1000	27/1000	↓ 12 points
Neonatal Mortality Rate (NMR)	26/1000	19/1000	↓ 7 points
Under-Five Mortality Rate (U5MR)	45/1000	31/1000	↓ 14 points
Sex Ratio at Birth	899	913	↑ 14 points

Definitions:

• IMR: Deaths of infants under 1 year per 1,000 live births.
• NMR: Deaths within the first 28 days of life per 1,000 live births.
• U5MR: Probability of dying before age 5 per 1,000 live births.

Total Fertility Rate (TFR)

• National TFR remains at 2.0 in 2021 (↓ from 2.3 in 2014).
• Reflects India’s attainment of replacement level fertility (2.1), which is necessary to stabilize population growth.
• Total fertility rate is directly calculated as the sum of age-specific fertility rates (usually referring to women aged 15 to 49 years), or five times the sum if data are given in five-year age groups.

State Highlights:

• Highest TFR: Bihar (3.0)
• Lowest TFRs: Delhi & West Bengal (1.4 each)

States at or Below Replacement Level (TFR ≤ 2.1):

• Delhi (1.4), West Bengal (1.4), Tamil Nadu (1.5), Andhra Pradesh (1.5), Jammu & Kashmir (1.5), Kerala (1.5), Maharashtra (1.5), Punjab (1.5)
• Himachal Pradesh (1.6), Telangana (1.6), Karnataka (1.6), Odisha (1.8), Uttarakhand (1.8), Gujarat (2.0), Haryana (2.0), Assam (2.1)

Demographic Transition Insights

• 0–14 age group: Declined from 41.2% (1971) to 24.8% (2021)
• Working-age population (15–59): Increased from 53.4% to 66.2%
• Elderly (65+): Rose from 5.3% to 5.9%
• Elderly (60+): Increased from 6% to 9%