To achieve Women's Reproductive Health and Rights objective WRC works towards the following directions:
Awareness Raising on Reproductive and
Sexual Health
WRC uses every opportunity to spread information on medical abortion, the perspectives and advantages of the new method that became available in the country.
Activities of raising public awareness were considered necessary to carry out not only in Yerevan, but in the regions as well. A significant importance was given to informing women on safe abortion, on possibilities to acquire knowledgeable consultation of drug usage.
The information Booklets on Medical Abortion have been elaborated and disseminated during the trainings by the doctors-participants (obstetricians - gynecologists) to women during their visits to relevant institutions.The maternal homes and clinics happened to be provided with the large amount of booklets for informational dissemination among the patients as well.
In order to see the booklet, please follow link: http://wrcorg.am/en/publications.htm
Means of mass media are also engaged in promotion of the method as well.
Dissemination Meeting on Medical Abortion in Gyumri and
Training for MA in Yerevan
Two meetings fostering medical abortion were held in Armenia on April 16 - 17,
2012. Co-principal investigator and study monitor from Georgia and New York
organized a dissemination meeting in Gyumri which was followed by the training
for medical abortion in Yerevan.
The intend of these meetings was the findings of medical abortion studies in
Yerevan, Gyumri and Vanadzor, mechanism of action of Mifepristone-Misoprostol
medical abortion, its indications with its side effects and contradictions, as
well as providing technical assistance on guideline recommendations.
Thus, during the dissemination meeting in Gyumri doctors from Yerevan and its
different regions shared their experience on medical abortion giving compliant
facts, statistics and information. According to statistics provided by
F.Grigoryan (obstetrician-gynecologist of Gyumri Maternity Home) medical
abortion is being practiced at the region for 1 - 1,5 years. Since, during 5 -
10 weeks more than 100 women applied for medical abortion, and 96 out of 100
women had no problem with it as it was more natural like usual menstruation
days. Besides, the principle investigators from Gyumri Maternity Home
G.Grigoryan and A.Avalyan from Vanadzor Maternity Home stated that more women
are getting used to medical abortion as it contributes a lot to the development
of family planning as well as to the women reproductive health improvement.
During the training on April 17 the representative from Ministry of Health of RA
G.Avagyan introduced her presentation about MA in Armenia, which was followed by
practical work including discussion of various cases concerning MA.
At the end of the meeting all the participants in the face of local
obstetrician-gynecologists received a certificate.
Hence, medical abortion has already been accepted among Armenian women which
shows that monitoring and evaluation tools used for this study have been
modified and adopted by the sites themselves to monitor their own progress.
Press conference on Medical Abortion
On January 23, 2012 a press conference on medical abortion was convened by Women's Rights Center to discuss a modern, safe and effective method of unwanted pregnancy interruption. The press conference was welcomed and moderated by Susanna Vardanyan. She highlighted that since 2007 Women's Rights Center has been working in the field of protection of women's reproductive and sexual health.
According to S. Vardanyan women frequently go to pharmacies, buy random pills, and stop pregnancy without consulting doctors, usually using only one medicine instead of two. The latter can have a detrimental affect on women's health. During the press conference the docotrs constantly highlighted that they do not encourage abortion in any case; however, in case of no other option, women shoould apply to medical abortion under the supervision of a doctor.
The other advantage of medical abortion, whcih is that the latter is more safe and painless, while the cost is almost the same. She paid attention to the right usage of the medicine, as it could have unfavorable consequences to a woman. Dr. Harutyunyan mentioned that sometimes women use only one medicine instead of twobecause of the price and unconsciousness; however, for their safety women should apply to doctors in order to eliminate further difficulties.
Round table discussion on Medical Abortion
On July 15, 2011 a round table discussion on medical abortion was organized by Women's Rights Center with the presence of representatives from the Ministry of Health of Armenia, as well as with doctors and principal investigators from Gyumri and Vanadzor. Thirty-three participants - obstetrician/gynecologists from different medical institutions as well as 6 different Mass Media representatives were present at the discussion.
The round table was welcomed and moderated by S. Vardanyan. Dr. R. Abrahamyan introduced their experience and good practice on medical abortion method and medications - mifepristone and misoprostol, its regimen, dosage, the achieved results and the effectiveness of the medications (i.e. no life threat, female fertility restoration, etc.).
During the discussion part of the round table suggestions were made by the participants: particularly, there was a common agreement on the issue that drugs should be sold by doctor's prescription. Otherwise, women, unaware of the regimen of the medication, can freely buy the medication and apply without doctor's control. This could lead to many dangerous problems, even lethal ones.
Another important topic was raised by S. Vardanyan, according to which the common consciousness of the population should be raised to prevent the usage of the medications without doctor's prescription. In this objective mind, various awareness-raising campaigns should be organized. For example, a TV show-discussion on medical abortion service should be launched.
Methodological Trainings on Medical Abortion
One of major significance in the process of providing professional information on the methods and mechanisms of medical abortion in Armenia is considered the organization of trainings conducted for gynecologists-obstetricians both in Yerevan city and the regions of Armenia.
WRC educates health professionals to use medical abortion as a new method of reproductive health technologies and train them in research methodology to document the use and acceptability of the method. Trainings also serve to help providers to examine and find out potential barriers to service provision.
On the 29th of November, 2012 "Gynuity Health Project" jointly with " Women's Rights Center" provided a training on 2nd trimester medical abortion in Ani Plaza Hotel. Doctors and nurses from Republican Institute of Perinatology, Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Health (RIPOGRH) and #2 Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology (Yerevan State Medical University) participated in the training. During the training they briefly presented the situation of 2nd trimester abortion in Armenia, reasons for abortion, regiments mostly used for medical abortion during the 2nd trimester, technologies for abortion, as well as about counter-indications, statistics on both surgical and medical abortion, etc. The participating doctors were presented the protocol of the 2nd trimester abortion, which was discussed and explained in details.
On July 10, 2009, at Congress Hotel, Training on Medical Abortion for doctors of maternity hospitals and clinics of Yerevan was organized with participation of 30 physicians from different medical institutions and maternity hospitals. During the training the research introduction and study results carried out in Armenia (2007) in three clinics – Institute of Perinatology, Obstetrics and Gynecology, the Center for Family Planning and Sexual Health and Department of Perinatology, Gynecology and Women’s Reproductive Health of the State Medical University - with 450 pregnant women has been introduced. The training aimed at spreading information on the medical abortion methods used in different countries as well as providing information on the study on medical abortion carried out in three clinics of Yerevan.
A package of relevant materials on medical abortion, including the list of studies, information booklet about the company, research and program summaries, a booklet on “Medical Abortion” and other booklets were disseminated among the participants.
In October, 2009 two-day training on Medical Abortion has been held in Gyumri. The target audience was gynecologists-obstetricians from maternity hospitals in Gyumri and other cities of Shirak marz. Another two-day training was organized in Vanadzor region on 01, 02 December 2010 after thoroughly investigation of maternity hospitals and clinics of Obstetrics and Gynecology within Lori region. During the trainings the participants was presented with the schemes, types and various methods of application of medicaments mifepristone and misoprostol. The relevant materials on medical abortion, including information booklet about the company, research and program summaries, a booklet on Medical Abortion have been disseminated as well.
The participants welcomed the efforts to improve the sphere on reproductive health and expressed their preparedness to contribute to the mission.The result of the trainings allows hoping that the MA method will make its way and in the nearest future it will find its wider and proper usage in Armenia as safer and more efficient.
The Elaboration of Methodological Guideline on Medical Abortion
As a result of consistent work of Women's Rights Center, RA Ministry of Health confirmed elaboration and implementation of clinical guideline for obstetrician - gynecologists on Medical Abortion due to the decree made on June 15, 2010.
With the aim of elaboration of guideline a Working Group has been formed under the supervision of Dr. Gayane Avagyan, (Maternal and Child Health Care Department of the RA Ministry of Health). The Guideline has been prepared with joint efforts of doctor-investigators: Dr. Ruzanna Abrahamyan (Institute of Perinatology, Obstetrics and Gynecology), Dr. Astghik Zargaryan (Center of Family Planning and Sexual Health) and Dr. Armine Harutyunyan (State Medical University and Polyclinic N. 8).Women’s Rights Center was also working in close cooperation with Dr. Tamar Tsereteli, Senior Consulting Associate.
The core of the guideline is providing the general information on how to prepare the pregnant women to Medical Abortion procedures, the methods of consultations on use of contraceptives, the preferences of doctors to use certain methods, etc. In the guideline also presented the detailed demonstration of organization and implementation of Medial Abortion including the regimes, dozes, types, the timelines for applying, the schedule of visits to clinics and follow up control in case the side effects or complications appeared during the abortion implementation. Introduction of present situation of artificial abortion in Armenia also is included in the guideline.
Travel to research sites
On May 24, 2011 during the travel to research sites Vanadzor Hospital N 1 and Gyumri Maternity Home were visited. The project coordinator Susanna Vardanyan examined all cases finished by that time in Vanadzor. Some of the questions concerning the research were discussed, such as:
- if there has been double usage of medical abortion,
- if any surgical interventions have occurred during the monitoring period,
- prolongation of the project,
- passing medical investigation with women with 8-12 weeks pregnancy and so on.
The doctors have mentioned that women-patients were satisfied with medical abortion very much.There was also mentioned an issue that often women use the medicament at home without consulting with doctors and often come to the hospital with extravasations.
Then an offer was done to present the issue in the Ministry of Health for discussion in order to sell the medicament only with the presence of doctor's prescription. In Gyumri S. Vardanyan examined all cases finished by that time from February 22 to May 24, 2011. The results were satsifying: women preferred medical abortion to surgical. However, there were also some cases when after usage of medicaments, women had strong pains or fever, or they had unpleasant feelings while the medicament was sucking (nearly 30 minutes). In some cases, the extravasations were interrupted with contraceptives, as other means did not help.
In order to see the publication, please enter the link: http://wrcorg.am/en/publications.htm
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