World Report

Armenia Takes Steps to Limit Unwanted Pregnancies

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ASIEH NAMDAR, CNN ANCHOR: How to prevent unwanted pregnancies is another problem that agencies around the world are finding difficult to solve. Some countries allow women to end unwanted pregnancies with an abortion, but many countries are trying to prevent the pregnancies altogether.

Armenian Television reports on the success of a new family planning program there.

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JULIA HAKOBYAN, ARMENIAN TELEVISION (voice-over): Abortions are a matter of deep concern all over the world. In Armenia, the number of abortions is quite high. More than 50 percent of women interrupt pregnancy.

According to nationwide reproductive health surveys, 64 percent of surveyed 1,400 women had an abortion at least once. The results of the surveys show that the main factor of abortions is the lack of appropriate information about sexual relationships. That made a group of Armenian doctors establish the Armenian Family Planning Association. The association is a member of the International Planned Parenthood Federation.

DR. EPHROSIA NAHAPETIAN, GYNECOLOGIST (through translator): The purpose of our organization is to introduce women to all the existing means to prevent pregnancy. More than 42 percent of women do not use at all any methods of contraception to prevent unwanted pregnancy.

HAKOBYAN: Recently, the Family Planning Association founded the Teenagers' Sexual Consulting Center. Any teenagers with sexual problems can get free consultation at that center. Many discussions are being organized for the orphans and homeless children.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): If your family is the child, come apply to parents for help. An orphan is obliged to face the problem himself. I am very glad I have opportunity to come here with my friends, because we learn here a lot.

HAKOBYAN: Fourteen-year-old Ann (ph) does not want to remember the night she was raped. Now she's in her third month pregnancy. Her friends have been persuading her to have abortion. Luckily, she found herself at this center. Ann is still depressed and psychologically traumatized, but she changed her mind and is going to deliver the baby.

DR. MARY KHACHIKYAN, FAMILY PLANNING ASSOCIATION (through translator): Ann is not the only one who did not know about pregnancy at all. It happens because the subject of juvenile sexual education unfortunately remains taboo in our society.

HAKOBYAN: The Family Planning Association is one of the progressing organizations in Armenia. Its founders and members are convinced that they will success in decreasing the number of abortions, birth among the adults and teenagers.

This is Julia Hakobyan, Armenian National TV, especially for the CNN WORLD REPORT.

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