Making Pregnancy Safer report: 'ensuring skilled care for every birth'.

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Dr Monir Islam, Director of the MPS Department, in the opening chapter of the report, referred to:

'the pivotal role of trained midwives. [as] the cornerstones for the expansion of an extensive health system to rural communities. They have provided accessible maternity services, gained respect from the communities they serve, and are described with affection and admiration by managers and policy makers'.

In 2006, MPS supported a review of midwifery in Mongolia, based on WHO guidelines. Using a rapid appraisal approach, the review analysed key national documents, undertook site visits to several rural and remote areas, assessed eight health facilities and four educational institutions, and conducted both key-informant interviews and focus group discussions.

Although there has been a significant reduction in the maternal mortality ratio, the country is unlikely to reach its MDG infant mortality target without very significant reductions in neonatal and perinatal mortality rates. Significantly improved midwifery services are required to meet the MDG target.

Because midwifery training ceased between 1994 and 2002, there is a current shortage of midwives which is likely to...