Tracking maternal mortality declines in Mongolia between 1992 and 2007: the importance of collaboration.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the declining trend in maternal mortality observed in Mongolia from 1992 to 2007 and its acceleration after 2001 following implementation of the Maternal Mortality Reduction Strategy by the Ministry of Health and other partners.


METHODS
We performed a descriptive analysis of maternal mortality data collected through Mongolia's vital registration system and provided by the Mongolian Ministry of Health. The observed declining mortality trend was analysed for statistical significance using simple linear regression. We present the maternal mortality ratios from 1992 to 2007 by year and review the basic components of Mongolia's Maternal Mortality Reduction Strategy for 2001-2004 and 2005-2010.


RESULTS
Mongolia achieved a statistically significant annual decrease in its maternal mortality ratio of almost 10 deaths per 100 000 live births over the period 1992-2007. From 2001 to 2007, the maternal mortality ratio in Mongolia decreased approximately 47%, from 169 to 89.6 deaths per 100 000 live births.


CONCLUSIONS
Disparities in maternal mortality represent one of the major persisting health inequities between low- and high-resource countries. Nonetheless, important reductions in low-resource settings are possible through collaborative strategies based on a horizontal approach and the coordinated involvement of key partners, including health ministries, national and international agencies and donors, health-care professionals, the media, nongovernmental organizations and the general public.
Yadamsuren
Buyanjargal
B
Department of Medical Service Policy Implementation and Coordination, Ministry of Health, Olympic Street 2 (Government Building 8), Ulaanbaatar-48, Mongolia. buyanjargal@yahoo.com
Merialdi
Mario
M
Davaadorj
Ishnyam
I
Requejo
Jennifer Harris
JH
Betrán
Ana Pilar
AP
Ahmad
Asima
A
Nymadawa
Pagvajav
P
Erkhembaatar
Tudevdorj
T
Barcelona
Delia
D
Ba-Thike
Katherine
K
Hagan
Robert J
RJ
Prado
Richard
R
Wagner
Wolf
W
Khishgee
Seded
S
Sodnompil
Tserendorj
T
Tsedmaa
Baatar
B
Jav
Baldan
B
Govind
Salik R
SR
Purevsuren
Genden
G
Tsevelmaa
Baldan
B
Soyoltuya
Bayaraa
B
Johnson
Brooke R
BR
Fajans
Peter
P
Van Look
Paul Fa
PF
Otgonbold
Altankhuyag
A
D019992:Databases as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008428:Maternal Mortality / Q000639:trends*; D008986:Mongolia / Q000453:epidemiology