YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 17, NOYAN TAPAN. The RA National Statistical Service (NSS) jointly with the RA Ministry of Health conducted the 2005 research on Armenian demography and health issues. It was done with USAID financing and technical assistance of the UNICEF and the UN Population Fund. 6,566 women aged 15-49 and 1,447 men from all marzes were surveyed. At the presentation of the book summarizing the research results, the NSS Chairman Stepan Mnatsakanian said that this research was second one in Armenia, the first was conducted in 2000. In his words, the purpose of the research is to inform the public about issues related to the Armenian population and its health. The 2005 report contains information about birth rate, contraceptives, health of mother and child, AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases. According to the research results, during 5 years before the survey, 93% of women, who gave birth to babies, received prenatal care from medical personnel at least once. 97% of childbirths in Armenia occur in medical institutions. The research shows that almost all babies are breast fed in Armenia but only one third of them are fed only with breast milk. 27% of Armenian women were overweight and 16% - fat in 2006 against 27% and 14% respectively in 2000. Only 2% of women aged 15-19 are fat, while among women aged 40-49 this index makes 33%.

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