The World Health Organization (WHO) performs a great deal of research related to maternal and newborn health and survival, and this recent report represents some of their latest work in this area. Working together with a wide range of partners, including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the World Bank, the WHO released this 111-page report in April 2008. The report is based on data drawn from national surveys and global databases, and it measures coverage of basic health services proven to reduce maternal and child mortality. It also effectively assesses the strength of health systems, the status of policies related to maternal, newborn and child health and how equitably health services are distributed. Interested parties who might not have time to read the entire document can instead just read the brief summary, which provides an overview of the main findings.