Maternal mortality: A challenge for achieving MDG

Aim: to estimate maternal mortality ratio and to identify the main causes and associated risk factors contributing to maternal death. study design: descriptive study setting: department of obstetrics and gynaecology (unit i),jinnah hospital lahore,from january 2010 to december 2012. methods: the case notes of all patients who died during the study period in gynae unit i,jinnah hospital as a result of conditions associated with pregnancy,labour and puerperium (6 weeks after pregnancy) were reviewed. final decision regarding the cause of death was drawn after consultation within the department as well as with the concerned departments like medicine and anesthesia. results: a total of 14,049 births occurred during the study period and there were 52 maternal deaths with maternal mortality ratio of 370/100,000 live births. conclusion: women are not dying because of disease we cannot treat; they are dying because societies have yet to make the decision.