Calculate the Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) based on WHO standards
Total deaths during pregnancy or within 42 days of termination.
Total live births in the same population/period.
Per 100,000 Live Births (WHO Standard)
Per 10,000 Live Births
Per 1,000 Live Births
Calculation Result
0
Maternal deaths per 100,000 live births
Raw Percentage:0% of pregnancies resulted in maternal death.
How is Maternal Mortality Rate Calculated?
The Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) is the primary statistic used globally to measure the safety of maternal health care. It represents the risk associated with each pregnancy. While often referred to colloquially as a "rate," it is technically a ratio comparing deaths to live births.
The Formula
The standard formula used by the World Health Organization (WHO), CDC, and other health bodies is:
MMR = ( Maternal Deaths / Live Births ) × 100,000
The calculation requires three components:
Numerator (Maternal Deaths): The number of women who die from pregnancy-related causes while pregnant or within 42 days of pregnancy termination.
Denominator (Live Births): The number of live births recorded in the same population during the same time period.
Multiplier (100,000): The standard multiplier allows for comparison between countries or regions with vastly different population sizes.
Why per 100,000?
Unlike other mortality rates which might be calculated per 1,000 people, maternal mortality is a relatively rare event in statistical terms. Using 100,000 as the multiplier avoids working with tiny decimals (e.g., 0.00025) and provides a whole number that is easier for policymakers and health professionals to interpret.
Interpreting the Results
Low MMR (< 20)
An MMR below 20 (deaths per 100,000 live births) is generally seen in high-income countries with advanced obstetric care systems.
Moderate MMR (20 – 99)
Indicates areas where healthcare access is improving but significant gaps in emergency obstetric care may still exist.
High MMR (100 – 299)
Requires urgent public health intervention to improve prenatal care and delivery outcomes.
Very High MMR (> 300)
Indicates a critical public health crisis. The Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target is to reduce the global average to less than 70 by 2030.
Data Definitions
To ensure accurate calculation, strict definitions must be met:
Maternal Death: Death of a woman while pregnant or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy, irrespective of the duration and site of the pregnancy, from any cause related to or aggravated by the pregnancy or its management but not from accidental or incidental causes (WHO).
Live Birth: The complete expulsion or extraction from its mother of a product of conception which breathes or shows any other evidence of life.
function calculateMMR() {
var deathsInput = document.getElementById('maternalDeaths');
var birthsInput = document.getElementById('liveBirths');
var multiplierInput = document.getElementById('multiplier');
var resultDiv = document.getElementById('result');
var mmrDisplay = document.getElementById('mmrDisplay');
var mmrUnit = document.getElementById('mmrUnit');
var mmrExplanation = document.getElementById('mmrExplanation');
var rawPercentage = document.getElementById('rawPercentage');
// Parse values
var deaths = parseFloat(deathsInput.value);
var births = parseFloat(birthsInput.value);
var multiplier = parseInt(multiplierInput.value);
// Validation
if (isNaN(deaths) || deaths < 0) {
alert("Please enter a valid number of maternal deaths.");
return;
}
if (isNaN(births) || births births) {
alert("Note: The number of deaths is higher than the number of births. While mathematically possible in catastrophic scenarios, please check your input data.");
}
// Calculation
var ratio = deaths / births;
var mmr = ratio * multiplier;
var percentage = ratio * 100;
// Formatting Output
// If result is an integer, show no decimals. If float, show 2 decimals.
var formattedMMR = Number.isInteger(mmr) ? mmr : mmr.toFixed(2);
mmrDisplay.innerHTML = formattedMMR;
mmrUnit.innerHTML = "Maternal deaths per " + multiplier.toLocaleString() + " live births";
rawPercentage.innerHTML = percentage.toFixed(4) + "%";
// Logic for Interpretation (Based on standard 100k multiplier)
var interpretation = "";
var normalizedMMR = (deaths / births) * 100000; // Normalize to 100k for standard text logic
if (normalizedMMR < 20) {
interpretation = "Classification: Very Low. This figure is typical of high-income regions with universal access to advanced maternal healthcare.";
mmrDisplay.style.color = "#28a745"; // Green
} else if (normalizedMMR < 100) {
interpretation = "Classification: Low to Moderate. This indicates generally good healthcare but room for improvement in emergency obstetric responsiveness.";
mmrDisplay.style.color = "#17a2b8"; // Teal
} else if (normalizedMMR < 300) {
interpretation = "Classification: High. This ratio suggests significant challenges in maternal health infrastructure and access to skilled birth attendants.";
mmrDisplay.style.color = "#ffc107"; // Yellow/Orange (darkened for text)
mmrDisplay.style.color = "#d39e00";
} else {
interpretation = "Classification: Very High. This represents a severe public health challenge. The WHO SDG target is to reduce the global average to below 70.";
mmrDisplay.style.color = "#dc3545"; // Red
}
mmrExplanation.innerHTML = interpretation;
resultDiv.style.display = "block";
}