The health and well-being of women in a society is often reflective of many levels of societal progress, including health, education, and legal frameworks. In the case of Malawi, a southern African nation of approximately 13.3 million people with a Human Development Index rank of 160 out of 182 (Klugman, 2009), the maternal mortality ratio (MMR) has been the bellwether of a health system facing challenges. From 1992 to 2000, the MMR rose 80%, from 620 to 1120 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births (National Statistical Office and ORC Macro, 2001). Over the following six years, data indicates that it slowly declined, with the 2004 Demographic and Health Survey (DHS 2004) reporting a MMR of 984 per 100,000 live births (National Statistical Office and ORC Macro, 2005), and the 2006 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS 2006) survey reporting a ratio of 807 (National Statistical Office and UNICEF, 2006). The MMR is currently expected to have declined to the 1992 levels. This will be confirmed by the ongoing DHS, the fieldwork of which will be completed in October 2010.