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India’s maternal mortality rate declined 16% in 2011-12 from 2007-09, according to data from Registrar General. Pregnancy-related and infant deaths in the country have declined significantly from a few years earlier, according to the latest data released by the Registrar General of India, but experts say there’s not much to cheer in the numbers given that India still lags behind developed nations and even its poorer neighbours. India’s MMR (maternal mortality rate), or the rate of deaths among women during or after pregnancy, declined by 16% in 2011-12 from 2007-09, according to the data released on December 28 2013. Although the MMR dropped from 212 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2007-09 to 178 in 2010-12, India is behind the target of 103 deaths per live births to be achieved by 2015 under the United Nations-mandated MDGs (Millennium Development Goals). The MMR in southern states fell 17% from 127 to 105, closer to the MDGs. Assam and Uttar Pradesh/Uttarakhand were the worst performing states, with an MMR of 328 and 292, respectively. Kerala and Tamil Nadu have surpassed the MDG with an MMR of 66 and 90, respectively. Infant mortality declined marginally to 42 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2012 from 44 deaths in 2011. Madhya Pradesh registered the highest infant mortality at 56, and Kerala the least at 12. Among metropolitan cities, Delhi, the national capital, was the worst performer with 30 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2012.