New Delhi, May 3 : As many of 4,500 deaths or eight percent of all maternal deaths occur due to unsafe abortions every year, parliament was told Friday.

As per Registrar General of India's Sample Registration System (RGI -SRS) survey report (2001-03), 8 percent of maternal deaths in the country are attributed to "abortion" which translates into an absolute number of approximately 4,500 deaths in one year, Minister of State for Health Abu Hasem Khan Choudhury told the Lok Sabha in a written reply.

Under the Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY), a conditional cash transfer scheme to promote institutional delivery with a special focus on below poverty line (BPL) and scheduled caste/scheduled tribal (SC/ST) pregnant women.

The scheme has brought about a significant increase in institutional delivery, added Choudhury.

More than 8.8 lakh ASHAs have been appointed in the villages to facilitate accessing of health care services at institutions, by the community, particularly pregnant women, he said. (IANS)