MINSK, February 25 (BelTA) – A genetic centre is to be established at the Minsk oblast maternity hospital, BelTA learnt from head of the healthcare department of the Minsk Oblast Executive Committee Ivan Lipnitsky. This will help further decrease prenatal, infant and child mortality rate and improve early detection of malignant neoplasms. First steps have already been made: ultrasound equipment has been purchased, interregional prenatal centres have been set up, and prenatal diagnosis specialists have been trained. “The improvement of prenatal diagnosis of birth defects is attributed to the purchase of more high-definition ultrasound devices and the training of specialists to assess fetal anatomical structures in early pregnancy,” Ivan Lipnitsky said. In his words, the major achievement of the Minsk oblast pediatric service is the decline in infant mortality rate. In 2008, this figure was 3.8 deaths per 1,000 live births, down 27% from 2007 (the national average of 4.5 deaths). The death rate in children under 5 dropped 18.9% to 6.2 deaths per 1,000 live births (the national average of 5.7 deaths). New methods of infertility treatment have been introduced. These methods are based on ultrasound scanning without X-ray examination. OB/GYN departments are actively employing low-invasive endoscopic treatment technologies (hysteroscopy, laparoscopy, colposcopy). In 2008, more than 16,000 babies were born in the Minsk oblast, up 547 compared with 2007. The crude birth rate has increased to 11.1 per 1,000 people. БЕЛТА
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