LEVELS AND DETERMINANTS OF GYNECOLOGICAL MORBIDITY IN A DISTRICT OF SOUTH-INDIA

This article presents the results of an assessment of gynecological mo rbidity among 385 women with young children residing in a district of Karnataka State, South India. All three main modes of assessment (clin ical examination, laboratory tests, and self-reports) reveal a high bu rden of reproductive tract infections. The two most common conditions, identified by laboratory tests, were bacterial vaginosis and mucopuru lent cervicitis. Approximately one-fourth of the women had clinical ev idence of pelvic inflammatory disease, cervical ectopy, and fistula. T he contribution of sexually transmitted diseases to overall gynecologi cal morbidity appears to be relatively modest; 10 percent were so diag nosed. Associated conditions of anemia and chronic energy deficiency w ere common. Severe anemia was found in 17 percent of cases and severe chronic energy deficiency in 12 percent. These results indicate that r adical improvements in women's health in India will require far more t han the diagnosis and treatment of reproductive tract infections.