1.2.6 Calculating the maternal mortality ratio
The maternal mortality ratio (MMR) is defined as the number of maternal deaths in a given year, in a particular area (which can be a whole country, or a region, or a community such as your community), divided by the number of live births in the same year and area. The result is multiplied by 100,000 live births, so that comparisons can be made with other years and other areas.
In Region X in 2002, there were 10 maternal deaths and 10,000 live births. What was the maternal mortality ratio in Region X per 100,000 live births in that year?
How does this MMR compare with the MMR for Ethiopia in 2005?
It is very low by comparison with the Ethiopian MMR of 673 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births in that year. If this MMR was achieved across Ethiopia, the Millennium Development Goal of reducing maternal mortality by three-quarters by 2015 would be more than successfully met.
1.2.5 Calculating the proportion of births attended by health professionals