We review global and regional progress towards Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 4 and 5 with
respect to their indicators, drawing on the latest data available from the relevant United Nations interagency
groups responsible for maternal and child mortality estimation, as well as recent reports from
individual UN agencies and external monitoring groups reporting on MDG progress. We also draw on
recent, comprehensive evidence syntheses to present an overview of a selection of existing effective
interventions that, if collectively implemented at scale, would reduce maternal and child deaths well
beyond the MDG target levels. We conclude with a summary of why and how a focus on maternal and
child health in the post-2015 era should be maintained, as the global development agenda transitions
from the MDGs to the Sustainable Development Goals.