UNFPA Armenia Presented the “Prevalence and Reasons of Sex Selective Abortions in Armenia” Report

Prof. Razmik Abrahamyan, Director of Institute of Reproductive Health, Perinatology, Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Mr. Garik Hayrapetyan, UNFPA Armenia Assistant Representative presented the “Prevalence and Reasons of Sex Selective Abortions in Armenia” Report today.

As the speakers noted, the report contained both positive and alarming findings. In particular, the majority of the surveyed women have started having children in a favorable reproductive age: from 19 to 35 years old, which is very important in terms of safe motherhood. Another extremely positive finding is that the Armenian society provides the same care to already born children irrespective of their sex.

However, as to the future children, the society prefers boys much more than girls – around six times. The study suggests that 0.8 per cent of 900,000 Armenian women of reproductive age have had a sex selective abortion in the last five years. This means that each year Armenia potentially loses around 1400 future mothers.

According to the speakers, the report is based on the findings of a quantitative survey of 2830 households in the period of July 15-August 15, 2011...