Jacob Cherian - All Headline News Contributor

New Delhi, India (AHN)-- In India, a woman dies in childbirth every five minutes. Such deaths account for more than 20 percent of the global maternal deaths.

The country registers 540 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births. This is higher than what it was a century ago in some of today's advanced nations.

According to a UNICEF study, nearly 136,00 maternal deaths occur annually, which can be prevented

To bring the maternal mortality rate under control, UNICEF is using a new tool, Maternal and Perinatal Death Inquiries method (MAPEDI). The MAPEDI was developed and implemented by Johns Hopkins University.

This method uses the "verbal autopsy method" to gain insight from people in communities that have firsthand experience with the tragedy of maternal mortality.