Date:01/11/2004 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2004/11/01/stories/2004110102301200.htm

National

Study focuses on women's reproductive health

By Gargi Parsai

NEW DELHI, OCT 31. An All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) study on women at a Primary Health Centre in Ballabhgarh has shown that over 35 per cent suffered from reproductive tract infection (RTI), while 16.8 per cent had sexually transmitted infections, which would have otherwise gone undetected and thus, untreated. With the focus on reproductive health in women, RTI testing is now sought to be made a part of the family planning system in the country.

Doctors involved in the study have warned that if RTI symptoms are ignored — which most women do — and left undetected that could result in serious problems such as infertility, cancer, HIV or sexually transmitted diseases and higher rates of neonatal morbidly and mortality.

Alarming results

The alarming thing was that of the 611 women who formed part of the study, 98.3 per cent showed symptoms of RTI, 79.2 per cent had low back pain, 50.8 per cent had lower abdominal pain, about 35 per cent had irritation and itching, 49 per cent suffered from painful intercourse and 34.33 per cent had painful menstruation. Two cases of cancer and one of HIV/AIDS were detected.

At the same time, it was observed that of the 98.3 per cent women who had RTI symptoms, 53.7 per cent had no infection. Similar symptoms, when present in men, reveal a definite presence of some disease, mostly sexually transmitted, said Jorge E. Tolosa of the Global Network for Perinatal and Reproductive Health (GNPRH), who attended a Dissemination Meeting in Ballabhgarh. The other collaborators in the study are the World Health Organisation, Universities in the U.K. and the U.S. and the Population Council.

The head of the gynaecology and obstetrics department in AIIMS and the Principal Investigator, Suneeta Mittal, told The Hindu in Ballabhgarh that the study was carried out to analyse clinical protocols and assess the cost-effectiveness of implementing various WHO and National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) guidelines. S.K. Kapoor, Professor of Community Medicine at Ballabhgarh, said that a full-fledged study was carried out with 611 women after a pilot study.

Dr. Mittal said the traditional RTI testing methods, which involved a protocol of "seven to eight microbiological tests" were as yet not affordable. To make testing for RPI "cost-effective" and to encourage women to come to the Primary Health Centre are the major challenges. Subject to availability of funds, similar studies would be done in Lucknow, Nagpur, Delhi and Thiruvananthapuram.

Dr. Mittal's message to the women of Ballabhgarh was clear: "Be hygienic in your sexual habits. Have one partner and be one partner. Otherwise, be sure to use contraceptives."