Understanding disparities within countries regarding maternal mortality ratios, access to health services and other health factors are necessary to fully address and provide maternal health care and a number of other health indicators. Vietnam, a middle income country, currently has a maternal mortality ratio of 64 deaths per 100,000 live births, according to IHME. However, for Hmong women in northern Vietnam, that ratio is significantly higer, according to a report from Al-Jazeera English (embedded below).
In order to efficiently allocate maternal health resources, it is imperative that good data exists regarding the regional, ethnic, and socio-economic differences for health outcomes so that the appropriate groups can be targeted for interventions.