More and more educated people in the cities across the country are opting for sex determination tests compared to people in villages. Releasing the Annual Health Survey results in New Delhi on Wednesday, Health Secretary K. Chandramouli said that urban areas are recording a decline in female birth rate. The survey found that sex ratio at birth, under 0-4 years and in all ages in rural areas is better than in urban areas. The sex ratio at birth across nine states ranges between 764 in Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand, and 1,030 in Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh. The survey, released by the health ministry, was carried out in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Assam, Jharkhand, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Orissa and Chhattisgarh – during July 2010-March 2011. He said, the maternal mortality rate was highest in Assam with 430 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births.The survey concluded that 100 districts contribute for about 50 percent of total infant deaths in these nine states while 57 districts are common hot spots of all the problems. Mr. Chandramouli said that the indicators will help the government to plan action in the districts where the indicators are adverse.