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Women's Health

• The Erebuni Women's Health Center was established in 1992 with the help of Beth Israel, Harvard Medical Alumni, the Charitable Trust for Women's and Children's Healthcare in Armenia (Boston), and the Armenian community of Boston. Later, the UCLA Medical Center played a key role in the continued development of the Center. Currently, the Center provides a wide range of state-of-the-art OB/GYN services, including contraception, prenatal screening, delivery techniques and Lamaze, ultrasound, colposcopy, laparoscopy, pathology, STDs, and adolescent education. There has been extensive training of Erebuni staff in prenatal, delivery and postnatal care.
• The Center's results have been impressive. Diagnostic ultrasound reduced perinatal mortality rates from 26 per 1,000 births in 1994 to 10.5 per 1,000 births 2000. A referral system was established with the cardiac center and protocols have been introduced for improving the care of the mother and child. The Center provides the latest cytology and pathology testing. Since 1992, the Center has provided 93,450 PAP smears, where 28% were first time clients and 72% came for repeat exams. Of those tested, 17% were identified as having dysplasia or cancer.
• Erebuni Hospital introduced a broad range of contraceptive services as a result of partnership involvement. Since it opened, the Yerevan WWC has served 19,050 clients, primarily in the age range of 20-35 years of age. Of these, 12,019 were seen for medical problems, 3,706 for preventive health exams, and 3,325 for family planning counseling and contraceptives.
• The Center provides education and counseling on the ill effects of abortion. During the period since the WWC opened, the crude abortion rate in the Center's catchment area fell by 21%.
• After the introduction of improved prenatal care and the neonatal resuscitation program, maternal and infant deaths (combined) have been reduced by 60%.
• Anecdotal evidence indicates the number of patients with STDs has dramatically declined.
• Finally, due to a more accurate diagnosis of cervical abnormalities and the introduction of the LEEP treatment method, there has been a reduction in scarring and cervical functionality in women treated at the Center.
• The Beth Israel partners supported several Armenian and English publications, including a brochure on abortions, contraceptive management, a book on baby care, a patient assessment form, a women's health manual, and teaching guidelines.
• The Beth Israel partners assisted the staff of the Erebuni Women's Center to develop a fee-for-service system which includes a sliding-scale for payment and free service days for victims of war, widows, unemployed and other vulnerable patients.
• The Beth Israel partners donated nearly $5 million in product, much of it in-kind, some in cash from fund raising activities in the Boston area. Equipment and supplies donated include contraceptives and reagents as well as medical equipment such as a colposcopic microscope, ultrasound machines, and a complete laparoscopic surgical set.
• To enhance the quality of care offered at the women's center and document procedures, the partners developed protocols for the management of high-risk pregnancies, pre-malignant lesions of the cervix, ovarian cysts, amenorrhea, infertility and sexually transmitted diseases.
• The UCLA partners provided additional training in the area of laparoscopic surgeries. In March 1997, a team of surgeons received specific training in Ob/Gyn laparoscopic surgery at UCLA Medical Center. In three months, the laparoscopic surgeries increased from 5% to 90%. To date, trends indicate a decreased rate of infection and hemorrhage compared to conventional surgical approaches.
• The Women's Health Center opened Lam.