Maternal mortality: an enduring epidemic.

Women continue to die from pregnancy-related causes at an alarming rate. Maternal mortality was first called a neglected epidemic in 1985, but to date, no significant improvements have been realized. Great disparity exists as lifetime risk of dying from pregnancy is 1 in 26 in Africa, 1 in 7300 in high-income areas. The UN Millennium Development Goals call for a 75% reduction in maternal mortality by 2015, which will only be realized when priority setting, funding, and program implementation can create conditions for appropriate human resources, infrastructure, and patient education for high-quality obstetric care.