Mongolia’s battle to reduce maternal deaths carries heavy economic stakes for the nation

**Lead**

Mongolia’s efforts to make childbirth safer have become a pressing economic concern, as high maternal mortality rates continue to drain the nation’s healthcare budget and undermine its labour force productivity. Despite recent policy initiatives, the country remains one of the most dangerous places in East Asia to give birth, a crisis that carries profound financial consequences for families, communities and the state.

**Context**

Mongolia’s maternal health indicators have long lagged behind those of its regional peers. The country’s vast geography, harsh climate and sparse population create formidable barriers to accessing quality obstetric care. Many women in rural areas must travel hundreds of kilometres to reach a hospital, often on unpaved roads that become impassable in winter. The result is a pattern of delayed emergency care, preventable complications and, in too many cases, death.

Over the past decade, the Mongolian government has launched several programmes aimed at improving maternal health, including the expansion of rural health centres, training of midwives and the introduction of free emergency transport vouchers. International organisations such as the World Health Organization and the United Nations Population Fund have provided technical assistance and funding. Yet progress has been uneven. While urban centres like Ulaanbaatar have seen improvements, remote provinces continue to report rates of maternal mortality that are several times higher than the national average.

The economic dimension of this crisis is often overlooked. Each maternal death represents not only a human tragedy but also a significant loss of economic potential. Women of reproductive age are a critical part of Mongolia’s workforce, particularly in the informal sector, herding and small-scale agriculture. When a mother dies, her children are more likely to drop out of school, perpetuating a cycle of poverty that reduces future human capital. The healthcare system also bears the cost of treating complications that could have been prevented with better antenatal care and emergency obstetric services.

**Analysis**

For the United Kingdom, Mongolia’s struggle may seem distant, but it carries implications for global health security and international development finance. The UK is a major donor to multilateral health funds that support maternal and child health programmes in low- and middle-income countries. British taxpayers contribute to organisations such as the Global Financing Facility and the World Bank’s health projects, which have provided loans and grants to Mongolia for health system strengthening. If Mongolia fails to reduce maternal mortality, the return on that investment diminishes, and the UK may face pressure to increase aid or redirect resources.

Moreover, the economic logic is clear: investing in safe childbirth yields high returns. Every pound spent on maternal health interventions—such as skilled birth attendance, emergency obstetric care and family planning—generates multiple pounds in economic benefits through reduced healthcare costs, increased labour productivity and improved child survival. For Mongolia, a country with a relatively small population of just over three million, the loss of even a few hundred women each year to preventable causes represents a measurable drag on GDP growth.

The challenge is compounded by Mongolia’s reliance on extractive industries, particularly mining, which exposes women to additional risks. Mining camps often lack proper health facilities, and the influx of male workers has been linked to higher rates of sexually transmitted infections and unintended pregnancies. The government’s efforts to diversify the economy and promote female entrepreneurship are undermined when women cannot safely carry a pregnancy to term.

**Sources**

This article draws on publicly available reports from the World Health Organization, the United Nations Population Fund, the World Bank and the Mongolian Ministry of Health. Additional context is based on analyses published by the Lancet Global Health journal and the Overseas Development Institute. No specific numerical data has been cited in accordance with editorial policy, but the trends described are consistent with the latest available evidence from these sources.