title: [The primary health care and its role in the reproduction of the population of Vojvodina].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The problem of depopulation has been a serious threat to the province of Vojvodina leading to changes in the age structure, decrease in working and defensing population, increase in health and social service costs. The aim of this study was to examine how to improve women's health care at primary level during prenatal, perinatal and postnatal period in order to give birth to a healthy child, preserve general and genital health and promote the ability to take care of the child and give birth to another child or children.
  
  
  METHODS
  The investigation included 300 patients (100 patients from each center: health centers in Temerin, Mali Idos and Zitiste) of reproductive age. All patients completed an anonymous questionnaire with 24 questions by choosing one of the offered answers or by writing an answer where necessary - concerning the primary health care and its role in the reproduction of the population of Vojvodina.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Half of the investigated patients did not use contraception. 32.66% of women visited their GP to control their pregnancies: 26.33% to treat their diseases, 11.33% for contraception advice, 2.66% for treatment of infertility and 27.33% for other reasons. More than half of the polled patients thought that there was a need for improvement of the work in women's health centers. 74.66% of patients suggested education on different types of health care and family planning associated with the use of modern equipment for diagnostics (13.33%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The primary health care has a significant role in the process of reproduction of the population and these results point to the necessity of a more active role in the improvement of women's health, as well as in the implementation of measures in the population planning policy.
authors.affiliation: Zdravstveni centar Veljko Vlahović, Vrbas.
authors.forename: Ilija
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Grujić
authors.forename: Zorica
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Grujić
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003625:Data Collection; D005193:Family Planning Services; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008427:Maternal Health Services; D011247:Pregnancy; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014932:Women's Health Services; D015022:Yugoslavia