A STUDY TO ASSESS THE HEALTH SEEKING BEHAVIOUR OF WOMEN IN THE REPRODUCTIVE AGE GROUP REGARDING REPRODUCTIVE TRACT INFECTIONS IN SELECTED AREAS OF INDORE, M.P.

Abstract

Women play a key role in maintaining the health and well-being of their communities. Traditionally, the health of families and communities is linked to the health of women. The illness or death of a woman has serious and far-reaching consequences for the health of her children, family and community.

Reproductive tract infections are infections of the genital tract. They affect both women and men. Some STIs (such as syphilis and gonorrhea) are sexually transmitted, but many are not. In women, an overgrowth of endogenous microorganisms commonly found in the vagina can cause RTI (yeast infection, bacterial vaginosis). Medical interventions can induce iatrogenic infection in several ways—endogenous organisms from the vagina or sexually transmitted organisms in the cervix can be pushed into the upper genital tract during a transcervical procedure and cause serious infection of the uterus, fallopian tubes, and other pelvic organs. Organisms from outside the body can also be introduced into the upper genital tract during medical procedures if infection control is poor. In men, sexually transmitted infections are much more common than endogenous or iatrogenic infections.