Maternal and child health indicators are vital metrics used to assess the health and well-being of mothers and children. They include mortality rates (maternal, neonatal, infant, under-5), coverage of essential services (antenatal care, skilled birth attendants, facility deliveries), and nutritional status indicators (anemia prevalence, stunting in children). India records approximately 300 lakh safe pregnancies and 260 lakh healthy live births annually. Key metrics Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR): The number of maternal deaths per 100,000 live births, indicating the risk of death during pregnancy or childbirth. Neonatal Mortality Rate (NMR): The number of deaths of infants under 28 days of age per 1,000 live births, reflecting the quality of care during the critical period of newborn life. Infant Mortality Rate (IMR): The number of deaths of infants under one year of age per 1,000 live births, a broader measure of infant health and well-being. Under-5 Mortality Rate (U5MR): The number of deaths of children under five years of age per 1,000 live births, reflecting overall child health and survival. Key targets for maternal and child health in India Indicator National Health Policy (NHP) Target Sustainable Development Goals 2030 Target Maternal Mortality Ratio 100 by 2020 <70 Neonatal Mortality Rate 16 by 2025 ≤12 Infant Mortality Rate 28 by 2019 < 20 Under 5 Mortality Rate 23 by 2025 ≤25 Data sources for maternal and child health metrics Sample Registration System (SRS) Report released by the Registrar General of India (RGI) Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation - SDG Dashboard Ministry of Health and Family Welfare - National Family Health Survey United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME) Report India's Progress in maternal and child health As per the Sample Registration System (SRS) Report 2021 released by the Registrar General of India (RGI), on 07th May, 2025, India has continued to witness a significant improvement in key maternal and child health indicators. The Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) of the country has shown a marked reduction, declining by 37 points from 130 per lakh live births in 2014–16 to 93 in 2019–21. The Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) of the country has declined from 39 per 1000 live births in 2014 to 27 per 1000 live births in 2021. Neonatal Mortality Rate (NMR) has declined from 26 per 1000 live births in 2014 to 19 per 1000 live births in 2021. Under-Five Mortality Rate (U5MR) has declined from 45 per 1000 live births in 2014 to 31 per 1000 live births in 2021. The Sex Ratio at Birth improves from 899 in 2014 to 913 in 2021. Total Fertility Rate is consistent at 2.0 in 2021, which is a significant improvement from 2.3 in 2014. Eight (8) States have already attained SDG target of MMR (<=70 by 2030): Kerala (20), Maharashtra (38), Telangana (45), Andhra Pradesh (46), Tamil Nadu (49), Jharkhand (51), Gujarat (53), Karnataka (63). Twelve (12) States/UT have already attained SDG target of U5MR (<=25 by 2030): Kerala (8), Delhi (14), Tamil Nadu (14), Jammu & Kashmir (16), Maharashtra (16), West Bengal (20), Karnataka (21), Punjab (22), Telangana (22), Himachal Pradesh (23), Andhra Pradesh (24) and Gujarat (24). Six (6) States/ UT have already attained SDG target of NMR (<=12 by 2030): Kerala (4), Delhi (8), Tamil Nadu (9), Maharashtra (11), Jammu & Kashmir (12) and Himachal Pradesh (12). As per the United Nation Maternal Mortality Estimation Inter-agency Group (UN-MMEIG) Report 2000-2023, published on 07 April 2025, India’s MMR has reduced by 23 points from 2020 to 2023. By this achievement, MMR of India has now declined by 86% compared to global reduction of 48% over the past 33 years from 1990 to 2023. As per the United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME) Report 2024, published on 24 March, 2025. India is among the top performer countries with reduction in Child Mortality Rates. As per the Report, India, over the past 33 years from 1990 to 2023, achieved a 78% decline in the Under-Five Mortality Rate (U5MR) surpassing the global reduction of 61%; 70% decline in the Neonatal Mortality Rate (NMR) compared to 54% globally, and 71% decline in the Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) compared to 58% globally Source : PIB