Print version ISSN 0042-9686 Bull World Health Organ vol.79 n.9
Genebra Jan. 2001 Maternal mortality estimates are useful Editor
In the March 2001 issue of the Bulletin, Pierre Buekens asks "Is
estimating maternal mortality useful?" (1). "Maternal mortality"
can have at least three meanings: (i) total number of deaths of
women from pregnancy- related causes in a given period; (ii)
maternal mortality ratio: total number of deaths of women from
pregnancy- related causes in a given period per 100000 live
births; the ratio measures the risk of death a woman faces each
time she becomes pregnant; and (iii) maternal mortality rate:
total number of deaths of women from pregnancy- related causes
in a given period per 100000 women of reproductive age. This
measures both the obstetric risk and the frequency with which
women are exposed to this risk. In public health practice, how
questions are posed is directly relevant to the definition of
problems and why particular measures are selected. While the
editorial by Bueken