Medicosocial aspects of reproduction and problems of maternal and child welfare
Katkova, I.P.
Sovetskoe Zdravookhranenie 6: 8-11
1981
ISSN/ISBN: 0038-5239 PMID: 7196600 Document Number: 176804
The investigators have studied a cohort of families during the 1st years of marriage, 4150 families in all from 5 cities of the USSR with a low birthrate. These families are oriented toward limiting the number of children to not more than two. This is due to the high educational level of the families and the unfavorable material conditions. In the Central Asian republics, where the birthrate is high, it is characteristic that the children are born during the early marital years. Morbidity of the women and children is a principal factor limiting family size during these years. Women visit gynecological clinics here more for purposes of abortion than for assistance with health problems. Areas with low birthrate have a high incidence of abortion in the 1st pregnancy, leading to subsequent complications with later births. Areas with a high birthrate have a high incidence of infant mortality. A national population policy should combat both these tendencies in order that both regions have families of optimal size. It is extremely important to improve the material conditions of the newlywed. Women should have some paid leave to look after their children up to the age of one. It is necessary to eradicate the ingrained belief that children in day-care are sick more than children at home. We investigated this in Tambov and could find no difference in the 2 rates of morbidity during the 1st 3 years of life; this may cause children to be sent to day-care later and account for the higher level of morbidity there. Pediatricians must determine the optimum age at which a child should be sent to day-care.