When impossible becomes possible

Miracles are performed at the Mother and Child Republican Scientific and Practical Centre: there, they help couples become parents, combat severe pregnancy pathologies, and care for babies with abnormally low birth weights

The Mother and Child Republican Scientific and Practical Centre is a medical flagship of Belarus and a hallmark of the country. Within these walls, they help couples who have lost hope of becoming parents, tackle the most challenging cases of pregnancy complications, and nurture fragile babies with abnormally low body weight — tiny babies the size of a palm, born long before their due date, yet fighting so fiercely for their lives. This unique medical institution proves to its patients every day, around the clock, that the impossible is possible! While such achievements were merely a dream two decades ago, today, world-class technologies combined with the high professionalism of Belarusian doctors create true miracles. This is undoubtedly a source of pride.

Tatiana Valentyukevich, Head of Paediatric Department for Premature Newborns at Mother and Child Republican Scientific
and Practical Centre 

Tiny one in the palm

For 20 years, the Mother and Child Republican Scientific and Practical Centre has been safeguarding maternal and child health. It brings together three institutions — the Research Institute of Maternity and Childhood Protection, the Research Institute of Hereditary and Congenital Diseases, and Maternity Hospital No. 7. The centre’s reputation and achievements, along with the talent of Belarusian medical professionals, have reached far beyond the country’s borders — it is well-known in both neighbouring and distant countries. This is no coincidence: Belarus ranks in the top 10 out of 236 countries worldwide for the lowest infant mortality rates. We hold the 25th position in the ranking of the most comfortable countries for motherhood and belong to one-fifth of the world’s states that ensure 100 percent of births are attended by qualified medical personnel. 
Ivan Kurlovich, Deputy Director for Research at the Mother and Child Republican Scientific and Practical Centre, emphasises that our country has always placed great importance on the health of mothers and children, viewing it as a priority area of public healthcare, “Our maternity care system includes highly qualified medical staff, modern technologies and practices, as well as comprehensive support for both mothers and newborns — timely, affordable, and high-quality. High standards of medical care have contributed to a reduction in infant mortality, which is a key indicator of success. It is encouraging that for the past two years, a new department for anaesthesiology, resuscitation, and intensive care for newborns has been operating at the Mother and Child Republican Scientific and Practical Centre. Here, the only breast milk bank in the country has been established, a mobile resuscitation and consulting team is in operation, and a training centre has been set up for conducting training sessions using modern simulation equipment.”

Belarus ranks 25th in the list of the most comfortable countries for motherhood, and belongs to one-fifth of the world’s states that ensure 100 percent of births are attended by qualified medical personnel.

Impossible is possible 

We are being shown around the anaesthesiology and intensive care unit with neonatal wards containing 30 cots. According to paediatric anaesthesiologist and intensivist Maksim Boidak, they care for premature newborns with extremely low birth weights and various life-threatening conditions. To put it simply, these are babies the size of an adult palm, weighing between 500 and 1,000 grammes. Today, 8 out of 10 of these children survive and live without limitations. It is a miracle!  
The facility is equipped with special equipment that measures noise levels. Thus, if there is loud talking, it emits a warning sound. Each incubator is fitted with audio and video monitoring equipment. The live feed from the department is displayed on a screen in the visiting room located on the ground floor of the building. Parents can see everything happening in real-time. The connected Klinika automated information system significantly simplifies the creation of the patient’s medical record. This data is also transmitted to the nursing stations in the department. All resuscitation areas are equipped not only with permanent monitors but also with portable monitors. These allow for continuous monitoring of all vital parameters, for example, when transferring a patient for additional examinations.  
Maksim Boidak, Head of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Unit, stresses that the technologies used to care for these babies are, without exaggeration, out of this world, “A baby is born long before the due date and cannot breathe, swallow, or digest food on its own; all of this is managed by high-tech equipment. Premature infants are placed in special incubators where conditions are created that mimic those in the womb. The doctors do everything possible to save these babies’ lives.”  
Tatiana Valentyukevich, Head of Paediatric Department for Premature Newborns, walks through the area where mothers and their babies are monitored after their tiny tots have been discharged from intensive care. “Here we have newborns weighing over one kilogramme. The department is designed for 40 patients. Mothers can breastfeed their babies, and if anyone has difficulties with that, we offer what is known as breastfeeding support, where specialists teach all the nuances and help resolve issues,” explained Tatiana Valentyukevich.  

Chance to become parents  

In addition to assisting newborns, the Mother and Child Republican Scientific and Practical Centre has another important function — providing opportunities for parents who are unable to have children to become pregnant and carry healthy babies. Yelena Ulezko, Deputy Director for Paediatrics, recounted, “In order to increase birth rates, we guarantee one free attempt at in vitro fertilisation (IVF) in state healthcare organisations. At the Mother and Child Centre, the success rate for achieving pregnancy through IVF is just over 45 percent per completed cycle. Thanks to IVF, more than 10,000 little Belarusians have been born.”   
For the past 15 years, the centre has successfully performed high-tech intrauterine surgeries. Approximately 1,000 such interventions have been carried out, including intrauterine blood component transfusions for treating fetal anaemia, fetoscopic laser coagulation (FLC) of placental anastomoses in cases of complicated multiple pregnancies, intrauterine correction of spinal canal defects, and other very complex surgeries.
Our future begins with caring for new lives. The modern maternity care system in Belarus is a cornerstone of national security, founded on the health and well-being of each mother and newborn. Yelena Ulezko summarised, “We continue to work for the benefit of our country, ensuring that every baby is born in proper conditions, while also providing timely and quality medical assistance every day and around the clock. Just within the walls of the Mother and Child Centre, 3,000 to 4,000 babies are born each year. It is truly a miracle! And, of course, this would be impossible without advanced technologies and the efforts of highly qualified specialists.” 

HIGH HONOUR 

In 2024, the Mother and Child Republican Scientific and Practical Centre was awarded the President’s prize Spiritual Revival in recognition of the centre’s special contribution not only to the affordability of medical care but also to the promotion of family values.

FACT

At the Mother and Child Republican Scientific and Practical Centre, they care for babies weighing as little as 500 grammes.

By Yulia Ushchenchik

Photos by Yelizaveta Kobetskaya