Wholesome parenthood
Kamsiouk, L.; Sheveleva, A.
Integration 1991(29): 16-18
1991
ISSN/ISBN: 0916-0582 PMID: 12284283 Document Number: 317216
A study of 400 newly married Russian couples conducted in 1986 by the Soviet Family Health Association and the Iwanovo Institute for Maternal and Child Health revealed an early onset of sexual activity, little information about contraception, low contraceptive use rates, and unhealthy life-styles. The 400 couples, all from the town of Iwanovo, were under 25 years of age and in their first marriage. The average age at marriage in this group was 22.1 years for men and 21.6 years for women. 77% of males and 65% of females had been sexually active before marriage; 41% of the men and 33% of the women had experienced coitus before their 18th birthday. However, only 13% of respondents could be considered minimally knowledgeable about contraception, and contraceptive use in the respondents who were sexually active before marriage was 20%. 10% of sexually active female respondents were pregnant at the time of marriage. Characteristics of the life-styles of these respondents were poor nutrition habits, avoidance of exercise and sports, smoking, alcohol consumption, and failure to consult a physician in the case of an acute illness. 1/3 of the men and 1/5 of the men surveyed were suffering from a chronic disease. Moreover, 21% of males and 23% of females had medical and social risk factor scores that could jeopardize the health of potential offspring. Recommendations to improve the likelihood of healthy marriage and parenthood in the USSR include the teaching of healthy habits to schoolchildren, mass medical screenings for the early detection of disease, the provision of printed materials about contraception to engaged couples, counseling of couples on ways to increase the odds of having a healthy infant, and the opening of special reception centers for young people where they can obtain guidance on these issues.