BEIJING - China's maternal and infant mortality rates declined in 2018 thanks to improved healthcare conditions, Health News Daily reported.

The maternal mortality rate contracted to 18.3 per 100,000 in 2018 from 19.6 per 100,000 the previous year, while the infant mortality rate dropped from 6.8 per 1,000 to 6.1, said the newspaper citing figures released by the National Health Commission.

Moreover, the mortality rate of children under the age of five declined to 8.4 per 1,000 last year, compared with 9.1 per 1,000 for 2017.

Yu Yanhong, an official with the commission, attributed the achievements to the establishment of emergency centers for pregnant and lying-in women and new-born babies in critical condition in cities nationwide, regulation of maternal and child health care institutions and natal defect prevention and treatment, among other measures.

To further improve maternal and child health, the commission will set up centers for natal defects prevention and treatment at provincial levels and increase training for professionals in natal defect and pre-maternal risk assessment sectors.

China plans to further reduce the maternal mortality rate to 12 per 100,000 and the infant mortality rate to five per 1,000 by 2030, according to an official guideline titled Healthy China 2030.