YEREVAN, July 11. /ARKA/. Infertility rate among Armenian women declined by 2.5 times over the last 15 years, according to Gayane Avagyan, the head of maternity and reproductive health department at the ministry of health.



Speaking at a news conference today she said the figure fell to 14.9% in 2014 from 31.9% in 2000. Ms. Avagyan noted also that about 3,500 miscarriages are reported each year.



"Measures are being taken to half this figure. Now we have more opportunities to help women to nurse prematurely-born babies weighing about 1.5 kg,’ she said.



In addition, large-scale measures are being held for a comprehensive survey of reproductive functions among teenagers and before-marriage medical examination is encouraged, she added.



She also reported that thanks to numerous successfully implemented health programs, the average life expectancy in Armenia has reached 74 years.



Vanik Babajanyan, the head of demography department at the ministry of labor and social affairs, added that the demographic situation in Armenia is being considered primarily from the point of social conditions.



"The government is carrying out numerous fertility promotion programs. It pays child allowances and enables mothers to combine work with child raising. In particular, from January 1 this year about 30 thousand non-working mothers are being paid onetime benefits for the birth of a child in the amount of 126,600 drams," Babajanyan said.



Under a law adopted by Armenian parliament last December, the size of maternity allowance is 15 times the amount of minimum wage. This makes about 1.2 million drams. ($ 1 - 476.72 drams). -0-





15:32 11.07.2016