India, April 10 -- The maternal death audit committee of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has reported over 70 maternal deaths between April 2024 and March 2025, raising serious concerns about access to timely healthcare for pregnant women in the city.

As per the report, 22 out of the more than 70 maternal deaths are linked to delay 1 which refers to a delay in the decision to seek medical care and includes delays caused by the lack of awareness, hesitation, or social and financial factors that prevent timely access to healthcare, officials said.

Furthermore, in 42 out of the more than 70 maternal deaths, the committee has been unable to determine the type or stage of delay that led to the death pointing to gaps in documentation, in...