NewsWhore
01-18-2007, 05:20 PM
A recent EnHogar 2006 survey carried out by the National Statistics Office (ONE) shows that 39% of Dominican women of childbearing age (15 to 49 years) do not use birth control. Clave Digital reports that the figure is even higher in the cases of women who have not yet had children. In the case of women with one child, 53% said they did not prevent pregnancies. The survey was carried out to study contraception use so that the health authorities can draft adequate policies. A total of 10,300 women were interviewed.
The fertility rate in the country has declined, nevertheless from 5.6 per couple in the 70s to 2.6 today, following a similar trend across Latin America, where the average went from 5.1 to 2.5 over the same period.
Dr. Alejandro Paradas Caba, who heads the Department of Reproductive Medicine and Family Planning at La Altagracia Maternity Hospital, the country's largest, said that their greatest concern was the high number of teenage pregnancies. Recently, Hoy newspaper published a series of articles about teen pregnancies, revealing that 11,000 women were admitted for abortions in 2006, a third of who were 15 to 19 years old, at just two of Santo Domingo's public hospitals. Abortion is against the law in the DR. The mortality rate in the country is 35 per 1,000 births before reaching the age of five.
Fernando de la Rosa from family planning organization Profamilia, advocates increasing promotion and general access to contraception, which has been opposed by the Catholic Church.
Clave reports that according to specialists, the most commonly used methods of contraception are birth control pills and sterilization.
Clave also reported that a state university (UASD) survey indicated that use of condoms among students (ages 15 to 49 years) is up 20.6% and more women are requesting protection. The same study revealed that 39% of university students that had been pregnant at least once, had aborted.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#10)
The fertility rate in the country has declined, nevertheless from 5.6 per couple in the 70s to 2.6 today, following a similar trend across Latin America, where the average went from 5.1 to 2.5 over the same period.
Dr. Alejandro Paradas Caba, who heads the Department of Reproductive Medicine and Family Planning at La Altagracia Maternity Hospital, the country's largest, said that their greatest concern was the high number of teenage pregnancies. Recently, Hoy newspaper published a series of articles about teen pregnancies, revealing that 11,000 women were admitted for abortions in 2006, a third of who were 15 to 19 years old, at just two of Santo Domingo's public hospitals. Abortion is against the law in the DR. The mortality rate in the country is 35 per 1,000 births before reaching the age of five.
Fernando de la Rosa from family planning organization Profamilia, advocates increasing promotion and general access to contraception, which has been opposed by the Catholic Church.
Clave reports that according to specialists, the most commonly used methods of contraception are birth control pills and sterilization.
Clave also reported that a state university (UASD) survey indicated that use of condoms among students (ages 15 to 49 years) is up 20.6% and more women are requesting protection. The same study revealed that 39% of university students that had been pregnant at least once, had aborted.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#10)