Step 1: The maternal mortality ratio measures deaths of women due to pregnancy, childbirth, or the puerperium (up to 42 days after termination of pregnancy).
Step 2: The formula is the number of maternal deaths in a year divided by the total number of live births in the same year, expressed per 1,00,000 live births.
Step 3: \[ \text{MMR} = \frac{\text{Total maternal deaths}}{\text{Total live births}} \times 1{,}00{,}000 \]
Step 4: Live births are used as the denominator because they are a reliable and routinely recorded proxy for the number of pregnancies that progress to delivery. Total births, married women, and midyear population are not the standard denominators. The correct answer is option 1 (Total number of live births).