Family planning, obstetrical and gynecological health care provision in the Soviet Far East.

The Soviet model for both obstetrical and gynecological care and family planning provision seems entrenched in the Soviet Far East as found during a July 1991 visit to the Magadan and Chukotka Regions. Modern birth control is minimally practiced, but does include use of the older Soviet Loop intrauterine contraceptive device (IUD), recent introduction of the new Soviet Copper-T IUD and sporadic availability of condoms and foreign made birth control pills. Without male or female surgical sterilizations being performed, the consequence is that the major form of family planning is first trimester abortion. During this visit, I introduced the use of the NORPLANT Subdermal Contraceptive System and the Copper-T380A IUD to physicians at Anadry and Pevek regional hospitals. Gynecological surgery was also performed and fairly typical ob-gyn care units were toured. Ob-Gyn physicians in the Soviet Far East were found to be highly motivated. They look to the West for help in upgrading family planning and ob-gyn health care in the face of severe shortages after a half decade of perestroika.