We have three short years to meet the Millennium Development Goals  that were set and established in 2000 and sadly most will not be met by the 2015 deadline. This is particularly true for maternal health.

According to the recently released Global Monitoring Report  “progress has been lagging for health-related MDGs. Global targets related to infant and maternal mortality (MDGs 4.a) are significantly off-track. Current progress in reducing by three-quarters the maternal mortality ratio roughly represents half of the required improvement needed to reach the 2015 goal.”

In contrast, the world is significantly off-track on the MDGs to reduce mortality rates of children under five and mothers. As a result, these goals will not be met in any developing region by 2015. Progress is slowest on maternal mortality, with only one-third of the targeted reduction achieved thus far. Progress on reducing infant and child mortality is similarly dismal, with only 50 per cent of the targeted decline achieved. –
Developing World Lags on Global Targets Related to Food and Nutrition, Says IMF-World Bank Report 

Most maternal deaths still take place in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. Maternal heath relies on a variety of interconnected factors that will ensure women live through childbirth such as nutrition, access to family planning, as well as access to health workers during the birth process.

Read more findings in the Global Monitoring Report.

Resources

World Bank (2012) Global Monitoring Report : Food Prices, Nutrition, and the Millennium Development Goals; page 12