 Maternal Mortality Ratios are the tip of the iceberg of maternal morbidity and ill health.  It is important to recognize what lies hidden – for every one woman who dies due to maternal mortality, there are …. Who are suffering from maternal morbidities like prolapse uterus, obstetric fistula, reproductive tract infections, pelvic inflammatory disease and so on.  Maternal Health policies and programmes should be concerned about not just addressing Maternal Mortality but also preventing maternal morbidities and actually creating conditions for high levels of maternal health and well being.

 NO….a good Maternal Health package should consist of  Quality contraceptive services  Safe abortion services, in addition to  Good antenatal, intranatal and postnatal care,  It should also recognize that pregnant women with conditions like Malaria, TB, HIV/AIDS and so on, have different needs and need special care.

 NO……  Technical quality of maternal health care services is of utmost importance and cannot be compromised… but this is not enough….  cultural beliefs and women’s low status in society that prevent a pregnant woman from getting the care she needs have to be addressed.  Other determinants of maternal health like women’s malnutrition, anaemia, age at marriage etc. need to be addressed.  Her living and working conditions need to be made safe.

 Evidence of disrespect and abuse in facility based childbirth  Examples:  subtle humiliation of women,  discrimination against certain sub-groups of women, overt humiliation,  abandonment of care and  physical and verbal abuse during childbirth.  Agreed importance among maternal health and human rights stakeholders of achieving respectful, non-abusive birth care for all women,