The highest risk period for maternal
death is from the onset of labor to the
immediate postpartum period. The maternal
mortality rate is high at the time of delivery.
The main causes are hemorrhage,
hypertensive disorders, sepsis, obstructed
labor, and unsafe abortion. In neonates,
nearly half of newborn deaths (many of
which involve extremely premature infants)
occur during the first 24 hours after birth,
The neonatal mortality rate in India was
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32.30 in 2011. India accounts for nearly
28% of the global deaths among newborn
children, approximately 80% of low-birth-weight infants require resuscitation and
stabilization at delivery. Many of these early
deaths also have a component of asphyxia or
respiratory depression as an aetiology. For
the surviving infants, effective management
of asphyxia in the first few minutes of life may
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influence long-term outcome