The European Region has made substantial progress in improving maternal health, with an
average official reported maternal mortality rate of 11 per 100 000 live births in 2014.o	According to the latest official data available, maternal mortality rate is approximately 4 per
100 000 live births in countries of the European Union, while the official reported average in
countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States is 16 per 100 000 live births (Fig.Maternal mortality estimations per 100 000
live births have declined over the period 2000 to 2015, from 33 to 16, and a wider gap has been
identified between countries (7).However,
data should be interpreted carefully, since regional averages frequently hide substantial variations
both within and between countries.Underascertainment of deaths is evident from comparisons with
studies using enhanced identification of deaths (6).Consequently, maternal mortality rates vary depending
on the data source used.1) (5).