Maternal mortality ratio

Maternal mortality ratio (MMR) is a measure of the number of deaths due to pregnancy-related causes per 100,000 live births. The MMR is a key performance indicator for efforts to improve the health and safety of mothers before, during, and after childbirth per country worldwide.

Definition

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines maternal death as the death of a woman while pregnant or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy, irrespective of the duration and site of the pregnancy, from any cause related to or aggravated by the pregnancy or its management but not from accidental or incidental causes.

Global Statistics

According to the WHO, every day in 2017 approximately 810 women died from preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth. 94% of all maternal deaths occur in low and lower middle-income countries. Young adolescents face a higher risk of complications and death as a result of pregnancy than older women.

Causes

Severe bleeding (mostly bleeding after childbirth), infections (usually after childbirth), high blood pressure during pregnancy (pre-eclampsia and eclampsia), complications from delivery, and unsafe abortion, are the major causes of maternal mortality.

Prevention

Most maternal deaths are preventable, as the health-care solutions to prevent or manage complications are well known. All women need access to antenatal care in pregnancy, skilled care during childbirth, and care and support in the weeks after childbirth.

See Also

• Maternal health
• Child mortality
• Infant mortality
• Pregnancy