Five Maternal Deaths in Kota Since October Raise Concerns Over Post-Delivery Care
A fresh maternal death at a government hospital in Rajasthan's Kota has brought the city's childbirth care facilities under renewed scrutiny, with five women reportedly dying from post-delivery complications since October. The latest case, involving a 36-year-old woman who developed severe liver and kidney complications after a Caesarean section, has raised questions about emergency obstetric preparedness and the management of high-risk patients.
The latest victim, Priti, died at MBS Hospital on November 12 after undergoing a Caesarean delivery at JK Lone Hospital on November 8. She developed breathing difficulties within two hours of surgery, followed by deteriorating liver and kidney functions. Hospital superintendent Dr Nirmala Sharma said Priti had a history of an earlier Caesarean delivery and recorded blood pressure of 160/100 at admission. Her bilirubin levels rose from one to nine and subsequently 11, indicating severe liver dysfunction. She was shifted to MBS Hospital on November 10 but died following multi-organ failure.
Another woman, Pushpa Bairwa from Baran district, died on November 10 after developing severe bleeding following a normal delivery at a Jhalawar hospital on October 27. She was referred to Kota for advanced treatment but reportedly developed serious complications, including disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), kidney and lung dysfunction. The other fatalities were Reshma (40), Roshan Bairwa and Shabnam Bano (26), who died on October 16, 17 and 23, respectively.
The deaths have renewed concerns over the Baran-Jhalawar-Kota referral network, particularly emergency stabilisation, blood transfusions and timely specialist intervention. A separate report documented five maternal deaths within 25 days across this wider network, although the cases may overlap with Kota's reported toll.
The developments follow a major crisis at Kota's New Medical College Hospital in May, when five women died and 12 developed kidney complications following Caesarean deliveries. Investigations by Rajasthan authorities and AIIMS-linked experts identified deficiencies in patient monitoring, nursing documentation, informed consent, infection control and blood-transfusion records.
The episode also triggered an oxytocin controversy after a batch manufactured by Jackson Laboratories reportedly failed quality testing. Authorities examined manufacturing irregularities, improper storage and distribution discrepancies involving 9,300 purchased and 10,050 reportedly sold injections. Around 3,500 vials were reportedly seized. However, investigators did not establish that the medicine caused the maternal deaths.
Similar complications were reported at Bikaner's PBM Hospital, where six women developed kidney problems and two died, and at a Jodhpur hospital, where eight women developed complications. A subsequent assessment found no common cause linking the incidents.
Rajasthan's Maternal Mortality Ratio stood at 86 deaths per lakh live births in 2021–23, compared with India's 88. Following the May crisis, the government ordered stricter postoperative monitoring and hospital safety protocols. Three suspended senior doctors were subsequently cleared by inquiry committees of individual negligence.
The latest deaths have nevertheless renewed questions about implementation of these measures, emergency obstetric preparedness and accountability. Medical experts stress that preventing maternal deaths requires early identification of high-risk pregnancies, round-the-clock specialist care, adequate blood supplies and continuous monitoring after childbirth.