Women in West region get married about a year later than women in other regions, and women with more than secondary education marry almost 2 years later than those with primary education or less. The duration of breastfeeding is unusually long by world standards. The median duration of postpartum amenorrhea is 8 months. This in turn helps to explain the relatively lengthy inter-birth intervals, with a median of 35 months, which are a reflection of the current low level of fertility. Abortion also plays a role in depressing fertility.
Abortion is legal in Mongolia, although it is discouraged as a method of controlling fertility.
It is estimated that currently one-sixth of pregnancies are aborted. These figures are substantially higher than registered deaths, and will be a topic for further investigation. There has been a notable decrease in mortality over time. Mortality is much higher in rural areas than in urban areas, and varies inversely with the mother's level of education. Mortality is lowest for children born to women between the ages of 20 and 34 years, those of birth order less than 4, and those born 4 or more years after the preceding sibling.