Reproductive Health of the Population of Montenegro. Survey Research Results

The representative survey results - made in 2001 and includes 1000 women aged 20 and 39 years - confirmed that the diffusion of conservative birth control in which the use of coitus interruptus dominates and the consequential resort of induce abortion in cases of pregnancies which are unwanted or cannot be accepted is the main reproductive health problem of the Montenegro population. The traditional birth control methods are very much incorporated in the system of values, considered anatural part of sexual intercourse, and therefore seen to be a rational choice. These facts open a number of questions, among which the most important one is why women are not relying on modern contraceptive methods and means? Research findings discover a complex array of factors, including a belief that modern contraceptive methods are harmful to health and a number of psychological barriers, also those arising from relationships with partners. On the other hand, the initial hypothesis that sexually transmitted diseases are one of the problems of the reproductive health of the population of Montenegro was not confirmed. However, it seems that the obtained data on this subject are not realistic having in mind not only the delicacy of the questions but also the specificity of the general conditions including all accompanying changes of the economic system transition, openness for challenges of the modern way of life and great movements of the population. In contrast to the dilemma, though, regarding the widely distributed sexually transmitted diseases, the research results indicated that infertility, primary and secondary, is not widespread and that it certainly is not considered as one of the problems of the reproductive health of the population of Montenegro.