Reproductive health and reproductive behavior of adolescent girls in Tofalaria

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The reproductive potential of adolescent girls includes several parameters, such as general and gynecological morbidity, physical and sexual development, psychosocial readiness for partnership and motherhood. Therefore, it is crucial to consider these parameters when assessing the reproductive capacity of adolescent girls in different settings. AIM: To study the reproductive health and reproductive behavior of girls residing in Tofalaria. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 194 girls participated in the study, with 58 of them being Tofalars. These girls were aged between 11 and 17 years old and resided in the Nizhneudinsk district of the Irkutsk region. The study involved analyzing medical records, conducting examinations by an obstetrician-gynecologist, collecting clinical samples from the urogenital tract for microscopy to detect transmitted infections, and performing colposcopy. RESULTS: The average age of onset of menarche among the study participants was between 11.5 and 12.0 years. Tofalar girls were more likely to experience menstrual cycle disorders such as oligomenorrhea and abnormal uterine bleeding. Additionally, delayed puberty was more commonly observed among Tofalar girls. Reproductive behavior of the Tofalar girls was characterized by early engagement in relationships, promiscuity, high prevalence of sexually transmitted infections, and high proportion of unplanned pregnancies. CONCLUSION: There is a need to develop and implement a long-term strategy on preserving the reproductive health of adolescents and young people in the Irkutsk region through consolidating the efforts of civil society institutions and governmental agencies at both regional and municipal levels.