Maternal deaths in Bihar go unreported, while state claims maternal mortality ratio has decreased Urvi Devi, 20, was in her ninth month of pregnancy. She woke up one night to urinate. Since there was no toilet in her home, in Madhopur village in Patna’s Maner block, she went to a nearby field accompanied by her husband. It was then she went into labour. With her nervous husband holding her, Urvi delivered a baby in the darkness and fainted soon after. Her husband, who was shocked at the sudden course of events, realised then that the baby did not cry. Urvi had given birth to a stillborn child. Neighbours gathered as her husband cried for help. But everyone was clueless about how to take the unconscious mother to the primary health centre (PHC). The nearest PHC was 12 km from the village. It was late and no ambulance was available. The night passed without Urvi receiving medical attention. In the morning, she was rushed to a nearby private nursing home. There, she was referred to the Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH), a premier government hospital. Urvi died on the way.
