An Autopsy Based Study of Socio-Etiological Aspects of Unnatural Deaths in Reproductive Age Group Females

Background: Education is a basic entitlement for each female in India according to the Right to Education Act of 2009, duly highlighted by the Indian government in its “Beti Bachao Beti Padhao” initiative, which effectively combines efforts to prevent female feticide with promoting girls’ education. Educating girls positively impacts the socio-economic and health standards and reduces inequality in society. Socioeconomic status encompasses not just income but also educational attainment and financial security, as well as subjective perceptions of social status and social class. Apropos of betterment in the status of women in India; evils of illiteracy, ignorance and dowry, economic slavery, crimes like homicide, sexual assault would have to be completely eradicated to ensure their rightful place in society. Material and Methods: The current study was conducted in the Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences, Ranchi, Jharkhand from April 2021 to March 2022 (i.e., 12 months). Total autopsies conducted during this period was 3840. Among these, 225 instances pertained to females within the reproductive age bracket in accordance with the predetermined selection criteria of the study. Result: The highest proportion of women were educated up to high school (29.33%), with 20% educated up to middle school. A mere 1.33% held a professional degree, while 17.78% reported as being illiterate. Maximum number of cases were housewives, students, and laborers by profession. A significant portion of cases belonged to socioeconomic class II. Accidental death was the most prevalent, followed by suicidal incidents, with burn being the leading cause of death followed by road traffic accidents across all educational, occupational, and socioeconomic strata. Conclusion: Deaths in women of reproductive age that are deemed unnatural accounted for 5.86% of the total cases examined during the study duration. Consequently, this necessitates careful consideration and the implementation of additional preventive and corrective interventions, particularly given that such deaths disproportionately affect women with lower levels of education and those who are unemployed. Moreover, it is crucial to note that these deaths are avoidable.