Medical officials in Russia have reported to have said that more than two-thirds of births in Russia are marred by complications, and every second
Medical officials in Russia have reported to have said that more than two-thirds of births in Russia are marred by complications, and every second newborn discharged from a maternity clinic is suffering health problems.
The number of normal births declined from 45.3 percent in 1992 to just 30 percent last year, said Olga Frolova, head of the statistics department of Russia's Academy of Medical Science. She thinks that the decline is due to the spread of heavy drinking and drug use, complications caused by sexually transmitted diseases, and the nation's overall worsening health."People must understand that health is an important factor of social well-being, and a responsible attitude to one's health, especially among teen-agers, needs to increase," she told a news conference.
Russia’s population is already diminishing. It was 148 million three years ago. However currently it has declined by three million to 145 million. About 1.2 million babies are born in Russia each year, while the country needs 2 million babies to reverse the population decline, Kulakov told the news conference.
