Opinions & Interviews

MINSK, 12 July (BelTA) – Belarus is one of the countries with the lowest maternal mortality probability rate, BelTA learned from Yelena Bogdan, Head of the Central Office for Medical Care Organization of the Belarusian Healthcare Ministry, on 12 July.

“We’ve received a published report from our representative office in Geneva: we are ahead of virtually all the countries of the world,” said Yelena Bogdan.

About ten years ago the maternal mortality probability rate of 3‰ seemed hard to reach in Belarus. Today the figure is even lower in some regions of the country.

A lot has been done in Belarus legislatively in the last few years to prevent unwanted pregnancies and discourage pregnancy terminations. For instance, women seeking pregnancy terminations have to consult a psychologist first. A pregnancy termination specialist can now refuse to provide the service and send the woman to another specialist.

Besides, the number of social reasons allowing pregnancy termination has been reduced to rape and deprivation of parental rights. Since 2011 the number of pregnancy terminations due to social reasons has dropped by nearly ten times. Only 44 cases were registered in 2015.

A number of measures to promote traditional family values and prevent unwanted pregnancies and pregnancy terminations are stipulated by the Family and Childhood subprogram of the government program on national health and demographic security in 2016-2020.

Meanwhile, the country’s leadership lays emphasis on pursuing a socially oriented policy. “Despite the complicated social and economic situation no benefits relating to maternity grants have been reduced. Contrariwise, some of them have been increased,” said the official.