Indonesia is a developing country which currently has a population of over 200 million people. There are about 750 &endash; 800 Obstetric and Gynaecologic specialists in the country, mostly working in big cities and urban areas. Mortality and morbidity during pregnancy and delivery are very prominent in developing countries, including Indonesia. Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) in Indonesia was 390 per 100,000 live births (1994) which was the highest in Asean countries. This prompted the Government to launch the Safe Motherhood program to try to reduce the MMR and the other consequences related to pregnancy and delivery. Strategic intervention in the Safe motherhood initiative is based on 4 pillars, such as family planning, antenatal care, safe obstetric delivery and essential obstetric services. This strategy necessitates good obstetric services system and competencies, which would encompass midwifes and obstetric and gynaecologic specialists. Indeed, to support this strategy, the Study Program of the Obstetric and Gynaecologic Specialist at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Indonesia, Jakarta places obstetric teaching and training as a major item, comprising about 38.5 % of all modules.

OBSTETRIC AND GYNAECOLOGIC EDUCATION
Postgraduate training of obstetric and gynaecology covers 7 semesters, spread over a 4- year teaching program. Recruitment of trainees is based upon graduate medical qualification, physical condition, psychological testing, medical knowledge testing and interview. No mentioning is said about religion, gender or ethnic characteristics.
The program study encompasses many aspects, such as medical ethics, physiology, obstetric pathology, obstetric surgery and social obstetrics and gynaecology, family planning, general gynaecology, surgical gynaecology, oncologic gynaecology, pathologic gynaecology, emergency in obstetrics and gynaecology, imaging in obstetrics and gynaecology, endoscopy in obstetrics and gynaecology, reproductive immuno-endocrinology, infertility, sexuology, urogynaecology and reconstruction, geriatric women, psychosomatic and psychosocial problem, and education and research methodology.
Each resident will have to complete certain tasks and assignments which will be evaluated by the supervisors. Assignments comprise diagnostic and / or therapeutic procedures which partly may contradict with catholic church teachings , particularly those related to family planning and termination of pregnancy. Medical procedures which are done at the outpatient clinic consist of application of IUD, insertion of norplant, injectable contraceptives, menstrual induction on cases of family planning failure and or new acceptor. Menstrual induction and termination of pregnancy are done in the operating theatre too. Residents which, based on their belief or religion resist to do certain procedures, such as certain family planning methods or menstrual induction and pregnancy termination, can deny these procedural activities and tell their supervisors about that. Reasons for these are well accepted and these attitudes will not influence the training evaluation of the residents. Some problems still arise regarding several family planning methods, such as IUD insertion or sterilization operation. While it is understood that the catholic church does not allow family planning methods which directly prevent the possibility of sperm and ovum union, the situation in Indonesia compels to find effective methods to reduce population increase. As poverty still prevails in Indonesia and this is related to high maternal mortality, the residents know that they have to support the government policy, so they agree to do these procedures as part of their training tasks.

PRACTICE
Being a small minority, catholic residents do not really face any problems during training or later in finding job opportunity. To be admitted as a faculty staff member, one would be judged merely upon his knowledge, attitude and behaviour during his training period. There is no written policy that the recruitment should be based on gender, race or religion or belief. So professionalism is the criteria for selection of staff.
Like wise, the opportunity to do private practice in hospitals relies upon one's own willingness to spare his time for the patients and the acceptance of the patients of his practice. Many private hospitals will allow specialists who can attract his patients to those hospitals, regardless of his religion or ethnic background. As to the practice of performing procedures which may or may not be in line with the church's standpoint or even the law, it is up to the doctor to do so. Frank abortion is against the law in Indonesia, but more subtle procedure such as menstrual induction can be performed without too much noise. It is clear that the specialist practice, even among catholic doctors, will totally rely upon one's own conscience. Some of the doctors will do the menstrual induction themselves, others will refer the client to colleagues who are willing to do that.

SUMMARY
The training of obstetrics and gynaecology in Indonesia follows a written Study Program which consists of 7 semesters and takes about 4- year time. Obstetrics training covers an important part, due to the need of capable doctors, and midwifes the like, to meet the problems of high maternal mortality and morbidity in the community.
Catholic residents, a small minority, do not face problems objecting to do procedures which relate to their beliefs or spiritual principles, particularly in cases of menstrual induction or termination of pregnancy. In family planning methods, more loose attitudes are taken against church's standpoint, due to the need to find effective method to reduce population increase and to support the Safe Motherhood program.
Catholic ObGyn specialists can freely do their practice in private hospitals, including in catholic hospitals. Recruitment as teaching faculty staff member is possible, the selection of which is not based on religion. What procedures are done in their practice are solely upon the conscience of the doctors.