Open AccessReproductive health in the Baltic Sea Area
Author(s) -
Helle Karro
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
finnish yearbook of population research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1796-6191
pISSN - 1796-6183
DOI - 10.23979/fypr.44918
Subject(s) - estonian , reproductive health , abortion , family planning , geography , demography , fertility , lithuanian , population , incidence (geometry) , socioeconomics , economic growth , pregnancy , research methodology , sociology , philosophy , linguistics , physics , biology , optics , economics , genetics
This paper aims to compare the reproductive health situation in the selected Baltic area countries - Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Finland, Sweden, and in St. Petersburg. The analyses focus on the trends and incidence of induced abortions, family planning, contraception, and STDs. National data were obtained by sending questionnaires to the medical statistics bureaus o f Estonia. Latvia, Lithuania, and the Russian Family Planning Association. Also, annual official statistical reports and the annual statistics from Estonian, Finnish, and Swedish abortion registers were used. The different reproductive health situations in the Baltic area countries prove that the cornerstones for improved reproductive health (low incidence o f abortions, teenage pregnancies, and STDs) are comprehensive family planning and sex education programs, new health promotion strategies, and openness in society concerning sexuality.