Maternal mortality is, as defined by the World Health Organization, "the death of a woman during pregnancy or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy, regardless of regardless of the duration and location of the pregnancy, from any cause linked to or aggravated by the pregnancy or its management, but not by accidental or fortuitous causes. (Wikipedia, 1) There are three main types of deaths related to maternal mortality: direct deaths, indirect deaths and late deaths. Direct deaths are obstetric complications during pregnancy or labor; this includes deaths from medications. Indirect deaths are associated with diseases or disorders aggravated by pregnancy. Late deaths are deaths occurring within 42 days of the end of a pregnancy. Maternal mortality is a problem that, at first glance, will instantly cause any individual to equate the problem with that of third world countries. This instant association is based on the assumption that maternal deaths during and after birth are higher in third world countries. Although true, this hypothesis is based on ignorance of ste...