Maternal Mortality Down

Maternal mortality rate in Iran dropped in the last fiscal (ended March 20), according to  figures released by the Health Ministry

“Last year the maternal mortality rate dropped to 18.5 deaths per 100,000 live births,” Mohammad Esmael Motlaq, head of the Population, Family and School Health Office at the ministry, was quoted by Azad News Agency as saying.

The figure was 19.7 and 19 in 2013 and 2015, respectively.

Each year close to 1.5 million births are registered in the country which means every year 1,480 cases of maternal deaths are registered.

Also, neonatal mortality rate is now 9 per 100,000 live births, down from 10.2 in 2012.  A neonatal death is defined as a death during the first 28 days of life.