Justification of the need to create a cryobank of the reproductive material of military personnel in the interests of the armed forces

Arguments are given in favor of creating a cryobank to preserve the reproductive material of military personnel. Fertility, or the ability to bear children, can be impaired by many detrimental factors associated with the conditions or place of service. In the Russian Federation, over the past few years, the rate of natural population decline has exceeded that of population growth, which has created a demographic void. According to the national concept of the demographic policy of the Russian Federation, by 2025 the population should reach 142–143 million people, due to an increase in the overall birth rate, as well as the birth of a second child and subsequent children in families. However, sociological and statistical studies show that the adopted packages of measures are not yet affecting the birth rate, and with a simultaneous increase in mortality, the population continues to decrease. An important medical and social problem is infertility in marriage; in Russia its frequency is 15%–17% of the total number of families. The contribution of male infertility to the overall structure of familial infertility is 40%. Stress and negative external factors, which are especially pronounced in high-risk groups, can affect male fertility. Military service associated with negative factors, stress, and life- and health-threatening situations can affect the reproductive system and lead to a decrease in reproductive potential or the development of infertility in a soldier. Cryopreservation of ejaculate allows childbearing to be delayed with the help of assisted reproductive technologies and can give the family a chance to have a child, even if the man has completely lost fertility. The creation of a cryobank of reproductive material will make it possible to protect military personnel whose service is associated with risks to life and health. One of the key responsibilities of the state health care system is the protection of the health of its citizens, especially those at risk, and the possibility of childbearing significantly affects the growth and population of the country.