OG1.1-5 | Demographic and Vital Statistics — Glossary

Expulsion or extraction of a fetus or embryo before 20 completed weeks of gestation or weighing less than 500 grams; a clinical/statistical definition distinct from the MTP Act's legal limits.

The number of CS deliveries in a Robson group divided by the total obstetric population, expressed as a percentage; identifies which groups have the greatest impact on the overall CS rate, accounting for both group size and within-group CS rate.

A national strategy (launched 2018) targeting anaemia reduction across the life course through a 6×6×6 framework of beneficiary groups, interventions, and institutional mechanisms; includes 180 IFA tablets for pregnant women and WIFS for adolescents.

Community-level female health worker under NHM, trained to provide basic health services and facilitate utilisation of government health programmes including JSY; receives performance-linked incentives for facilitating institutional deliveries and other NHM targets.

A systematic review of caesarean section rates and indications within a facility, using a standardised classification (e.g., Robson TGCS) to identify the groups contributing most to the overall rate and target evidence-based improvement.

India's statutory system for registering vital events (births, deaths, marriages) operated under the RBD Act 1969; produces legal certificates and feeds data to the Sample Registration System for vital statistics computation.

Number of live births per 1,000 total population per year; 'crude' because the denominator includes the entire population, not just women of reproductive age.

Maternal death resulting from obstetric complications of the pregnant state itself — haemorrhage, hypertensive disorders, sepsis, obstructed labour, or unsafe abortion.

Death occurring within the first 7 days of life, closely linked to intrapartum events, prematurity, and birth asphyxia; accounts for approximately 75% of all neonatal deaths.

Two or more consecutive spontaneous abortions (some earlier definitions required three); warrants systematic investigation for genetic, uterine, thrombophilic, endocrine, and immunological causes.

Maternal death from a pre-existing or newly developed disease aggravated by the physiological demands of pregnancy, not from a direct obstetric cause.

A scheme (launched 2011, NHM) guaranteeing free drugs, diagnostics, blood, diet, and transport to pregnant women and sick neonates at government health facilities, eliminating out-of-pocket expenses.

A conditional cash transfer scheme (launched 2005, NHM) providing financial incentives to pregnant women from low-income backgrounds who deliver in an accredited institutional setting, to increase institutional delivery rates.

The eight Empowered Action Group states (UP, Uttarakhand, Bihar, Jharkhand, MP, Chhattisgarh, Assam, Rajasthan) plus J&K and Orissa, where JSY benefits are universal to all institutional deliveries regardless of BPL status.

Death of a woman while pregnant or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy, from any cause related to or aggravated by the pregnancy — excluding accidental or incidental causes.

India's mandated programme for facility-level review of all maternal deaths, using a structured proforma to identify clinical causes, contributing factors, and three-delays analysis for quality improvement.

The number of maternal deaths per 100,000 live births in a given period; the principal indicator of maternal mortality burden used for national and international comparisons.

A woman who nearly died but survived a severe acute obstetric complication, meeting at least one WHO organ-dysfunction marker (cardiovascular, respiratory, renal, coagulation, hepatic, neurological, or uterine).

Intrauterine fetal death or failed development without expulsion, presenting with a closed os, uterus smaller than dates, and confirmed fetal demise or absent cardiac activity on ultrasound.

Deaths in the first 28 days of life per 1,000 live births; subdivided into early neonatal (0–7 days) and late neonatal (8–28 days).

Stillbirths at ≥28 weeks plus early neonatal deaths (0–7 days) per 1,000 total births; the denominator is total births, not live births.

The period from 28 completed weeks of gestation to 7 completed days of postnatal life, representing the highest-risk interval for fetal and neonatal death.

Central legislation mandating universal registration of all births and deaths in India within 21 days; establishes the Civil Registration System and designates registrars at national, state, and local levels.

A WHO-recommended audit tool that classifies every obstetric patient into one of 10 mutually exclusive and totally inclusive groups defined by parity, previous CS, presentation, onset of labour, gestational age, and number of fetuses, enabling standardised benchmarking of caesarean section rates.

India's primary national system for collecting vital statistics, operated by the Office of the Registrar General; provides annual estimates of birth rates, death rates, IMR, NMR, and MMR at national and state levels.

Abortion complicated by pelvic infection, presenting with fever, offensive discharge, uterine tenderness, and leucocytosis; requires urgent antibiotics and uterine evacuation to prevent septicaemia.

Birth of a baby at ≥28 weeks gestation (or ≥1,000 g) who shows no signs of life; classified as macerated (died before labour) or fresh (died during labour/delivery).

Number of stillbirths (at ≥28 weeks) per 1,000 total births; denominator is total births because stillbirths are included in both numerator and denominator.

A scheme (launched 2019) guaranteeing assured, dignified, respectful, and free maternity care to every pregnant woman and sick newborn accessing a government facility, specifying minimum standards for ANC, delivery, postnatal care, and emergency obstetric services.

Vaginal bleeding in the first 20 weeks with a closed cervical os and viable intrauterine pregnancy; the pregnancy may continue with expectant management.

A framework explaining preventable maternal deaths through three sequential delays: delay in deciding to seek care, delay in reaching a facility, and delay in receiving adequate care at the facility.

Average number of children a woman would have over her reproductive lifetime if current age-specific fertility rates were to remain constant; India's TFR reached replacement level (~2.0) in 2020.

An attempt at vaginal delivery in a woman with a previous caesarean section; associated with approximately 60–80% success rate (VBAC) but carries a 0.5–1% risk of uterine rupture in appropriately selected women with one previous lower-segment CS.

A successful vaginal delivery in a woman with a previous caesarean section; reduces cumulative risks of repeat CS (placenta accreta spectrum, adhesions, haemorrhage in future pregnancies) and is underutilised in India, particularly in Group 5 patients.

A component of Anaemia Mukt Bharat providing weekly IFA tablets to adolescent girls (school- and out-of-school) to reduce the prevalence of iron-deficiency anaemia before the reproductive years, thereby improving women's health baseline before pregnancy.

The proportion of women in a specific Robson group who delivered by caesarean section; indicates how often women in that clinical category receive a CS at a given facility.