Every five minutes, at least one woman dies of complications related to pregnancy or childbirth in India, according to the World Health Organisation. In a statement, the United Nations agency said 26.7% (1,36,000) of the total maternal deaths (5,29,000) recorded in the world occur in India alone, reported IANS.
"In fact, two-thirds of maternal deaths occur after delivery, postpartum haemorrhage being the most commonly reported complication.
The incidence of emergency postpartum hysterectomies is about 83/100,000 with a maternal mortality of 17.7 per cent and a perinatal mortality of 37.5 per cent," said a WHO statement.
Postpartum bleeding or postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) is defined as loss of more than 500 ml or 1,000 ml of blood within first 24 hours of child birth.