Only 40 percent of 1st pregnancies in Central Asia wanted

Only 40 percent of pregnancies in Central Asia are wanted. Chef Operating Officer of Alliance for Reproductive Health NGO Galina Chirkina told journalists.

«Recent studies in Central Asia say: 60 percent of women who first became pregnant and were married claimed that their pregnancies were unwanted. That is, in other cases, women would like to prevent pregnancy but, unfortunately, to some extent did not have access to contraceptives or simply did not know how to do it," she said.

«Violence against women and children is a very serious aspect, directly related to reproductive health issues. Often when we advise a woman on pregnancy, we find out that the pregnancy was caused by domestic sexual violence. And every time we come across the fact that they say to us: «How can a husband rape his wife?! This is a priori impossible! They agreed to relationship. But not on violence," Galina Chirkina stressed.

«A lot of men during polls in the regions of Kyrgyzstan stated that they do not use condoms if they have sexual relations with their wives," she added.

Often condoms are perceived as a cause to have an affair and to protect themselves in case of accidental contacts, not with the wife.

Galina Chirkina