POPLINE Document Number: 270906
Author(s):
Wasserheit JN
Source citation:
[Unpublished] 1988 Oct. Paper presented at The Christopher Tietze International Symposium on Women's Health in the Third World: The Impact of Unwanted Pregnancy, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 29-30 October, 1988. 4 p.
Abstract:
Reproductive tract infections (RTI's) can cause infertility, ectopic pregnancy, fetal wastage, low birth weight, and congenital infection. In developing countries, RTI's can affect the status of a woman as well as her health, although RTI's can readily be treated and prevented. Gonococcal infection of women in the Third World is minimally 5% and sometimes reaches 10-20%. Chlamydial cervicitis and bacterial vaginosis (BV) have been shown to reach 2-23% and 20-35% in Africa and Asia respectively. If these 2 infections are untreated, the women may develop upper tract infection which may result in pregnancy complications. In these Third World nations, infection probably is significant in determining reproductive morbidity. 15-40% of those women who are hospitalized suffer from upper tract infection. African women are hospitalized mainly for pelvic infection (PID), a sexually transmittable disease, Southeast Asians are mainly affected by post-abortal infection. 50-80% of African infertility seems to be post infectious. 15-39% of Asian infertility is due to infection. Implementation of diagnosis and therapy seems appropriate in these Third World areas. Further research on developing country RTI's must focus on clinical and programmatic aspects of RTI's. Costs of integrated care and diagnostics must be evaluated.
Keywords:
Sexually Transmitted DiseasesIndex page
Morbidity
Infections
Pelvic Infections
Developing Countries
Bacterial and Fungal Diseases
Pregnancy Complications
Prevalence
Asia
Asia, Southeastern
Africa
Africa, Sub Saharan
Infertility
Philosophical Overview
Side Effects
Reproductive Tract Infections
Diseases
Measurement
Research Methodology
Reproduction
Treatment