Infertility in Armenia reaches alarming level
By Sabina Idayatova
The level of infertility in Armenia makes up 16.8 percent, an
alarming figure given that according to the World Health
Organization 15 percent is a reason for concern, Armenian Health
Minister Derenik Dumanyan said at a conference on the problems of
reproductive medicine held in Yerevan, Novosti Armenia reported on
October 7.
Dumanyan stressed that the existing problems in Armenia are basically similar to the global problems -- a low birth-rate and high rates of infertility.
"We have to take all measures in order for this issue to be resolved in our country," he said.
Armenian chief obstetrician and gynecologist Razmik Abrahamyan noted that some indicators in Armenia are very close to those in Russia. According to him, worsening of the demographic and reproductive indicators has been observed in Armenia over the past 20 years.
"Whereas the birth rate was 77000-79 000 in 1988-1991, in 2012 the figure was 42,832 in Armenia," Abrahamyan said. He added that the rate of natural population growth has fallen by three times, making up 4.8 percent versus 11.3 percent in 1990, and the average index of maternal deaths per 100,000 babies made up 12.9 in the last three years, which is higher than the EU figures.
Sexologist Vrezh Shagramanyan said last year that infertility rate is rapidly spreading and is equal among both women and men in Armenia; furthermore, every third couple in the country faces the infertility problem.
According to the sex therapist, infertility has turned out to be not just medical, but a socio-medical and nationwide problem in Armenia. Thus, infertility has become an influencing factor on the indicators of reproductive health as well as demographics. According to Shagramanyan, infertility is the cause of every fourth divorce.