The maternal mortality rate in China has dropped significantly as the country has begun providing expecting mothers with subsidies that allow them to give birth in hospitals.

The maternal mortality rate stood at 30 out of 100,000 in 2010, said Fu Wei, a senior official with the Ministry of Health, at a press conference on September 9. The figure was 34.2 out of 100,000 in 2008.

Since 2009, each pregnant woman in the countryside has received 500 yuan ($77) to cover the cost of hospitalization.

From 2009 to July 2011, the Chinese Government allocated 7.9 billion yuan for the program and subsidized 22.62 million expectant mothers.

As a result of the program, 96.7 percent of rural expectant mothers gave birth to their children in hospitals, up 4.4 percent from 2008.

The increased rate of hospital delivery has also reduced the infant mortality rate. The infant mortality rate in China now stands at 13.1 out of 1,000 in 2010, having fallen by two thirds from its 1990 level. This meets the targets set by the UN in its Millennium Development Goals.