BIRTH RATE IN ARMENIA INCREASES

ARMENPRESS
March 26, 2009

YEREVAN, MARCH 26, ARMENPRESS: In the coming months the 2008 reports
of the Armenian health care system will be published. They include
demographic, and medical-demographic indexes of mother and child
health protection service.

Head of the Health Ministry’s Mother and Child Health Protection
Department Karine Saribekian told Armenpress that Armenia is described
as a country having low birth rate and it is not accidental that
the demographic issues are being viewed in the context of national
security. Luckily, during the recent years increase of the birth rate
and number of families having 3 and more children has been registered.

Among the factors which influence the birth, K. Saribekian singles
out the social-economic conditions, which have essential impact
on reproduction behavior, mentality, educational and traditional
values. She also underscores the implementation of programs of support
to the young families, noting that the social security has positive
impact on reproduction behavior.

Speaking about the issues in mother and child health sphere,
K. Saribekian said that the child death rate in Armenia is quite low
and during the recent years it is decreasing, nevertheless the Health
Ministry, by the implementation of different events, is trying to reach
"Millennium Goals" which demands more purposeful and serious steps.

Mother death rate in Armenia is average, as compared with the CIS
countries it is quite low but as compared with the European countries
it is rather high.

K. Saribekian said that currently the prior sterility in Armenia is
about 3.4 percent, the sterility connected with venereal diseases,
artificial interruption of pregnancy and other factors reaches
28 percent.

The head of the department also referred to process of telegenesis
in Armenia, noting that a great progress has been registered in the
sphere, in respect of technical opportunities. Though it is quite
expensive, nevertheless the number of people applying to it has
increased: only last year 150 babies were in this way.