The prevalence of reproductive tract infections and sexually transmitted diseases among married women in the reproductive age group in a rural area

Abstract

Reproductive tract infections (RTIs) and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) represent a major public health problem in developing countries.(1) The consequences of RTIs are numerous and potentially devastating. These include postabortal and puerperal-sepsis, ectopic pregnancy, fetal and perinatal death, cervical cancer, infertility, chronic physical pain, emotional distress, and social rejection of women.(2) In Indian community-based studies, the range of self-reported morbidity has been reported to vary from 39–84%.(3,4) Most of the Indian studies in the field of reproductive health care are based on clinical examination and a few are based on laboratory tests.(5) This community-based cross-sectional study of the prevalence of RTIs gives some indication of the likely burden of the disease in the population studied and highlights some associated factors.