Latvia reviews progress in improving maternal health

A technical workshop to review Latvia´s progress in implementing the "Beyond the numbers" methodology was organized on 26–27 March 2013 in Riga by the Latvian Ministry of Health with assistance from WHO/Europe. The workshop took place in Riga Maternity Hospital, where one third of babies in Latvia are born.

Latvia recently joined many other countries in western and eastern Europe in adopting the "Beyond the numbers” approach to analyse maternal morbidity and mortality. The methodologies selected by Latvia include confidential enquiry into maternal death (CEMD) and the near-miss case review (NMCR). Each analysed near-miss case assists the country in designing improvements for the quality of care for pregnant women and mothers.

Governmental commitment to take action

During a press conference held in conjunction with the workshop, Dr I. Circene, Minister of Health of Latvia, emphasized that it is not enough to improve registration of maternal mortality. Latvia is ready to analyse every critical case in obstetrics, to draft recommendations for improvement and to ensure the best quality of care for every pregnant woman.

Professor D. Rezeberga, chief obstetrician and gynaecologist of Latvia and coordinator of the confidential enquiry into maternal deaths committee, pointed to the objectives of improving team spirit and ensuring active participation of midwifes, neonatologists and anaesthesiologists in analysing successes and remaining gaps in maternal and newborn care.

WHO assistance

Representatives of perinatal centres attending the workshop expressed their appreciation for the recommendations and support of Dr A.Bacci, WHO expert who has assisted many countries in taking the first steps towards introduction of confidential enquiries into maternal deaths and near miss-case reviews.

The first summary of recommendations in Latvia will be available in early 2014.