Maternal Mortality is the death of a woman while pregnant or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy, irrespective of the duration and the site of the pregnancy, from any cause related to or aggravated by the pregnancy or its management, but not from accidental or incidental causes
Improving maternal health is one of the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) adopted at the 2000 Millennium Summit.
A key target is to reduce the maternal mortality ratio (MMR) by three-quarters between 1990 and 2015.
Global Maternal Mortality Rate
The global maternal mortality ratio has almost halved from 400 in 1990 to 210 in 2010.
Although there was significant decline in all regions, the global MMR was 3.1% short of the MDG target of 5.5%.
Every 2 minutes, one woman dies in childbirth along with 6 babies under 1 month.
Most maternal deaths can be prevented if births are attended by skilled health professionals who are:
- regularly supervised,
- have the proper equipment and supplies,
- can refer women to emergency obstetric care services when complications arise.
- Complications require prompt access to quality obstetric services equipped to provide lifesaving drugs, antibiotics and transfusions and to perform Caesarean sections and other surgical interventions.
How to Calculate the Maternal Mortality Rate in your area
