MINSK, 12 November (BelTA) – Maternal mortality in Belarus has declined by almost 88% since 1990. The relevant information is contained in the report Trends in Maternal Mortality: 1990 to 2015 based on estimates by WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA, the World Bank Group, and the United Nations population division, BelTA has learned.
The maternal mortality ratio (MMR, maternal deaths per 100,000 live births) in Belarus has fallen from 33 in 1990 to 4 in 2015. Maternal mortality in the country has declined by 87.9%, while the global average over the same period stands at 44%.
Today, Belarus’ maternal mortality rate is one of the lowest in the world. The country is on par with Austria, the Czech Republic, Italy, and Sweden and is preceded by Island, Poland, Finland, and Greece. Maternal mortality in Lithuania has fallen by 65.5% since 1990, in Latvia – by 62.5%, in Russia – by 60.3%, in Ukraine – by 47.8%.
The Belarusian Health Ministry said that a number of key maternal mortality targets have been achieved in Belarus over the past 15 years. Those were to promote timely pregnancy registration, enhance adherence to medical recommendations, and some others.