| Abstract: | Approaches to reducing infant mortality in southern regions of USSR are outlined. Middle Asia and Kazakhstan comprise 16.7% of the USSR population; the birth rate in this region is 34-39/1000, and the birth interval is 2 years (often, 1 year). Infant mortality rate is 25/1000 births; more than 46% of children die during the 1st year of life. In the structure of infant mortality, infections and respiratory diseases are dominant. The peak of infant morality occurs during the summer (July-September). Special surveys indicated an unsatisfactory state of health of pregnant women associated with nutritional deficiency, observance of certain religious customs, and occupational exposure to agricultural chemicals. The adopted program for the regions with high infant mortality consists of the following priority measures: family planning and birth control; improvement of the health of women of child-bearing age; nutrition of pregnant women; breast feeding for mothers with young children; strict adherence to the labor laws for working women; improvement of the social and legislative assistance to a family; improvement of the system of outpatient care facilities for large families; development of a system of emergency care; carrying out social, hygienic and medical measures of control of intestinal and other hospital infections; drastic changes in the methods and style of educational campaign; campaign against harmful customs; development of the system of medical genetic care and prenatal diagnosis; improvement of the training of medical personnel. |
