Across India, nearly 15% of the 22 million annual deliveries (i.e 3.3 million pregnant women) are considered high-risk.
Published Sep 28, 2025 | 4:14 PM ⚊ Updated Sep 28, 2025 | 4:14 PM
Representational image. Credit: iStock
Synopsis: Karnataka’s high MMR of 68 per 100,000 live births, despite robust healthcare, prompted a conference at RV University. Experts urged AI and technology use to flag high-risk pregnancies. Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao announced 24/7 specialist services in hospitals and a maternal death audit, targeting MMR reduction to 40 by 2027, alongside increased awareness and infrastructure investment.
“Karnataka has the highest Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) in South India, despite having large numbers of hospitals and a robust health department,” argued doctors on Friday at the one-day conference in RV University on reducing MMR in the state.
They urged the Karnataka government along with medical staff to make use of technology and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to ensure every pregnant mother has the right to safe delivery.
The state recorded 68 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births, well above the MMR in neighbouring southern states – Kerala (30), Tamil Nadu (35), Andhra Pradesh (30), and Telangana (59), according to the 2021–23 Special Bulletin on MMR released by the Office of the Registrar General of India.
While Karnataka performs better than the national average of 88 and significantly better than states in northern and central India that recorded a higher maternal mortality, its figures still remain a concern, as the state is otherwise recognised for strong maternal and child health indicators.
“The issue has caught our (Karnataka Health Department) attention too. We are working towards reducing Karnataka’s MMR to 40 within the next two and a half years, until the end of the current government’s term,” said Dinesh Gundu Rao, Karnataka Minister of Health and Family Welfare, while delivering an address at the conference.
Rao directed department officials to conduct an audit of all maternal deaths between 1 April, 2024 and December. Over 70 percent of the 464 maternal deaths that occurred during this period, could have been prevented, according to the interim report.
“We still need to fill in gaps in availability of doctors, lack of essential drugs and correcting procedural lapses, among others,” Rao said.
Across India, nearly 15 percent of the 22 million annual deliveries (i.e 3.3 million pregnant women) are considered high-risk. Yet, experts noted, there is no foolproof way of predicting which woman may develop complications.
“We need a software system that can flag high-risk patients based on their medical history and co-morbidities. If a patient falls into this category, the app should immediately trigger an alert,” said Dr Susheela Rani of Manjushree Hospital.
The Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) Portal of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) uses a similar system, wherein a green sticker on a pregnant woman’s Mother and Child Protection (MCP) card indicates no detected risk factors while a red sticker indicates high-risk pregnancy requiring additional attention from doctors. However, experts on the panel argued that introducing an app/software that updates this information in real-time would be far more effective.
Adding on to how AI and technological algorithms can help, Dr Latha Venkatraman, lead consultant, OBG department, Rangadore Hospital said, “If a patient’s health details are added onto a software, for example if she has a history of anaemia and hypertension and now develops severe headaches with blurred vision, then the algorithm can come up with some important questions that the doctor can ask to further determine if the patient is at high-risk and needs to be monitored carefully.”
Venkatraman, who was also the moderator of the panel discussion, also pointed to innovations like the rudraksha-like device developed by a Madurai-based startup in 2019, that could be worn by the pregnant woman around their neck.
The sensors in the device will track the pregnant woman’s sleeping pattern, number of steps, and calories burnt along with other vitals. This data would then be sent to government health workers so they could make regular visits to high-risk mothers.
However, panellists also cautioned that doctors must not forego their training and completely rely on technology to practice medicine.
“This is an important debate on the professional experience of doctors vs the use of technology. It needs to be discussed further in institutions like RV university,” said Dr Madhva Prasad from St. John’s Hospital.
However, experts agreed that technology has to be exploited to save the lives of women.
To address the high MMR, Rao announced during the conference that the state government has decided to provide round-the-clock healthcare services for pregnant women and newborns in all taluk hospitals, district hospitals and community health centres (CHCs).
“Each of these hospitals will have a ‘double triad’ of specialists – two gynaecologists, two anaesthetists, two paediatricians, and a radiologist. They will be available 24×7. We are not taking in additional doctors. We are rationalising the system and re-employing our doctors,” Rao said.
Despite technological advancements, panellists agreed that illness-related myths and lack of awareness at the pre-conception stage still persist in society.
Referring to one such case, Dr Shubha Rama Rao, from St Martha’s Hospital said, “A married woman with a heart condition came to us with severe pregnancy complications. She had chosen not to disclose her illness to her husband’s family and had, on her own, stopped taking her medication. Unfortunately, this led to pregnancy failure.”
To resolve such issues, Dr Shobha Sudarshan, Maternal Health and Family Welfare Officer, Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) told the audience that she has started conducting awareness sessions at schools and colleges under GBA limits on pre-conception and contraceptives.
The conference concluded with a call for a state-level maternal mortality acceleration plan, combining immediate lifesaving interventions with long-term investments in infrastructure, workforce and more community engagement on the ground.
(Edited by Amit Vasudev)
