Raising concern over maternal mortality, NHS watchdog NICE has stressed upon the need for setting up antenatal clinics in schools so as to raise awareness about the vulnerability of pregnant women to stillbirth or even own death.

In order to bring home their point, the health watchdog quoted the figures showing that on an average 14 in 100,000 women die during pregnancy or after childbirth, the count that may witness a manifold rise among communities in underdeveloped nation.

Advising NHS to target the vulnerable sections, the NICE said antenatal classes in schools and colleges could play a major role in bringing under control the mortality figures and ensure better health for babies and their mothers.

According to official figures, over 600,000 pregnancies take place in a year. And of these, 30,000 pregnancies are to substance abusers, 40,000 to under 20-year-olds, 47,000 to domestic abuse victims and 70,000 to non-English speakers.

NICE's Deputy Chief Executive, Dr Gillian Leng said: “Although these women represent a small proportion of those having babies in the UK each year, they and their unborn children deserve the same level of care as anyone else”.

Reacting to this, Louise Silverton, from the Royal College of Midwives, said the proposals were indeed praiseworthy but additional resources, including staffing, were required for their implementation.