MOSCOW, December 22 (Itar-Tass) — Early data obtained by Russian physicians in the course of annual preventive medical examination of 14-year-old adolescents suggests that a least one adolescent in three has dysfunctions of the reproductive system, Olga Chumakova, the director of the Russian Health Ministry’s obstetrical service, told reporters Thursday.
“The data we have indicates that about one-third of teenagers have the reproductive dysfunctions, which may put constraints on their reproductive activity in the future,” Dr Chumakova said. “That’s why the early exposure of the problems and their timely treatment is necessary.”
This year marked the start of expanded regional programs for preventive medical examinations of teenagers.
“Each region will arrange its own list of medical specialists with the account of specific features of the situation with the disease incidence among children but most typically the regional lists will include pediatricians, ENT doctors, neurologists, ophthalmologists, and endocrinologists,” Dr. Chumakova said.
“Preventive medical checkups have a long history but children’s gynecologists and urologists have joined the checkup teams for the first time this year,” she said. “Also, we hold ultrasonic scanning of the reproductive sphere and the thyroid body and give the tests for hormonal status.”
Dr. Chumakova recalled that a teenager can be subjected to a preventive medical checkup only upon written consent of his or her parents.
“It’s not accidental that we make emphasis on preventive treatment,” she said. “The deplorable tendencies in the health of children in the age bracket of seven to seventeen years old persist and even a deterioration of the picture there has been noticed.”
Among the factors causing this deterioration, Chumakova named poor ecology, overstressing, inconsistent regimens, and high workloads at schools.