Hygienic aspects of physical development and reproductive health in schoolgirls
Sukhareva, L.M.; Kuindzhi, N.N.; Iampol'skaia, I.A.
Vestnik Rossiiskoi Akademii Meditsinskikh Nauk 5: 11-15
2009
ISSN/ISBN: 0869-6047 PMID: 19507347 Document Number: 634430
This paper is based on the results of medical examination (single-step and longitudinal) of more than 10,000 schoolgirls and students aged 8-17 and 17-23 years respectively undertaken in Moscow in 1960-2004 and on the archival data (6500 medical cards of primipara women) from maternity hospitals dated to 1981-1990. It was shown that a main feature of growth and development of the female organism in the recent years was gracialization of the girls' stature due to reduced transverse and circumferential body measures including diameter of pelvis. This finding implies a risk of reproductive health impairment with time. Future reproductive potential of schoolgirls is negatively affected by such social factors as excess academic load, psychoemotional stress during the last school year and prior to entering a higher education institution, schoolwork-dominated life style hampering realization of biological needs of the developing organism (in the first place motor activity).