Patna,(BiharTimes): Bihar has registered a decline of 11 points in the maternal mortality rate between 2011 and 2013. This is still the second highest rate in the country.Deaths of mothers that take place within 42 days of childbirth is defined as the maternal mortanlity. Registrar General of India report said that 208 mothers die in the state per one lakh live births. The overall figure per year in the state is 7,680.

According to the report though the institutional deliveries, that is, childbirth in any health institution rather than home have gone up in the state maternal mortality have not come down in the same proportion. Normaly such deliveries are considered key to reducing maternal deaths,Experts are of the view that most of these deaths are preventable. They attribute this to the fact that half the mothers do not stay in hospital even for 24 hours, which is considered critical period. Lack of infrastructure in rural areas is also a major factor.