Perinatal care in Lithuania
Basys, V.; Liubsys, A.
Journal of Perinatology Official Journal of the California Perinatal Association 17(3): 233-240
1997
ISSN/ISBN: 0743-8346 PMID: 9210082 Document Number: 473809
The Preventive Program of Perinatal, Neonatal and Congenital Abnormalities in Lithuania was launched in 1992. That was the beginning of the reorganization of the Soviet maternal and child health care system. The first stage of the Program provided for the years 1992 through 1996 and aimed to create a system of maternal and neonatal care; to create a system of diagnosis and prevention of congenital abnormalities; to collect, process, and analyze maternal and neonatal data (to establish a new database); to evaluate, distribute, and use available resources efficiently; to plan financial and human resources for a perinatal care infrastructure; and to train medical personnel and control the level and quality of their knowledge. The reorganization was based on a three-tiered maternal and neonatal care system. By the end of 1996 the major goal of the Program was achieved successfully (i.e., perinatal, neonatal, and infant mortality rates decreased significantly. During the next 5 years the Program will focus mainly on qualitative aspects of perinatal care.