title: Maternal mortality and Millennium Development Goal 5.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The maternal mortality ratio (MMR) is a key indicator for measurement of progress against Millennium Development Goal 5 (MDG 5). For many countries, especially those with a presumed high number of maternal deaths, only estimates are available.
  
  
  METHODS
  Recent global estimates and the reasons for high maternal mortality are reviewed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There is international consensus that efforts to reduce maternal mortality globally need to be intensified.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Many countries lack accurate data on number of deaths in women of reproductive age and number of births. Therefore, statistical modelling has been used to calculate estimates, which generally have wide confidence intervals and may be disputed by individual countries.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is renewed focus on MMR as 2015 approaches.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is a need to adapt and implement methods for measuring maternal mortality to generate more accurate estimates. More data on cause of death are needed.
authors: Maternal Newborn Health Unit, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Pembroke Place, Liverpool L35QA, UK. vdbroek@liv.ac.uk
authors: N R
authors: NR
authors: van den Broek
authors: A D
authors: AD
authors: Falconer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001723:Birth Rate; D002423:Cause of Death; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D032921:Consensus; D019049:Developed Countries / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003906:Developing Countries / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D014943:Global Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends; D054625:Healthcare Disparities; D006801:Humans; D008428:Maternal Mortality / Q000639:trends*; D020380:Needs Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D018571:Sentinel Surveillance; D014944:World Health Organization