Republic of Moldova

 

Maternal mortality is one of the most sensitive and crucial indicators of reproductive health and the Government pays great attention to it and is making serious efforts to decrease it.

International targets

• Reduce by three quarters, between 1990 and 2015, the maternal mortality rate.
  
• Initial national targets
  
• Reduce by three quarters, by 2015, the maternal mortality rate. Reduce the maternal mortality rate from 28 (per 1,000 live births) in 2002 down to 23 in 2006, 21.0 in 2010, and 13.3 in 2015.
  
• Cover all maternity wards with qualified medical staff, starting 2006 (currently – 99%).
  

Initial national targets

• Reduce the maternal mortality rate from 16 (per 1,000 live births) in 2006 down to 15.5 in 2010 and 13.3 in 2015.
  
• Maintain the number of births assisted by qualified medical staff during 2010 and 2015 at 99%.
  

(Source: draft National Report „Millennium Development Goals Report:„New Challenges – New Objectives”)

 

 

TRENDS

• In 2008, for the first time in the five years, maternal mortality increased from 15.8 to 38.4 cases per 100.000 births, but in 2009 it declined again (17.2 cases per 100,000 births).
• Deaths are predominantly caused by bleeding, followed by late gestoses, septic states, thromboembolism, hepatic cirrhosis and, rarely, cases of anaesthesia-related complications. Social determinants, particularly poverty and migration play a decisive role in half of the cases of maternal mortality.
• Despite the decline in maternal mortality in 2009, compared to the high level of mortality in 2008, it is not certain that the target for 2010 will be achieved.
• Accomplishing the 2015 target largely depends on ensuring constant financing for this area of health-care, in order to strengthen the measures for early identification of at-risk cases.
• Regarding the second target of maintaining the high number of births assisted by qualified medical staff, Moldova has made good progress. In 2007-2008 the proportion of births attended by skilled health personnel was 99.5 percent, while in 2009 it grew to 99.8 percent.
• The fact that this percentage has been maintained at such a high level with a growing trend shows that the targets for 2010 and 2015 will be successfully met if the necessary financial resources are regularly allocated for the healthcare of mothers and children.

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