Are we making progress in maternal mortality?

n engl j med 364;21 nejm.org may 26, 2011 1990 resent a diverse genetic pool that allows for adaptation and evolutionary change. Further insight into how these adaptations occur may enhance our ability to predict the emergence of new, more capable bacterial pathogens, the development of more predictive animal models, and the potential identification of critical pathways that might serve as therapeutic targets. Disclosure forms provided by the author are available with the full text of this article at NEJM.org.