A hospital-based study on association between reproductive tract infections and abortions

Abstract

Background: Iatrogenic reproductive tract infections (RTIs) are more common where health-care providers do not have the training or provisions to carry out procedures without harm. Objective: To explore the relationship between RTIs and abortions. Materials and Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted during January to March 2012 in STI/RTI Clinic located in urban slums of Mumbai, India, involving total 273 married females of reproductive age group who presented with symptoms of RTI. Tool for interview was the questionnaire about sociodemographic profile, detail history regarding abortions, and symptoms of the participants. Disease-specific laboratory methods were used to confirm diagnosis of RTI. Result: The study findings showed proportion of the abortions were more with increasing age. Totally, 11 (61.1%) participants were living in three-generation type of family; only 30 (36.1%) of the participants who were educated up to higher secondary level showed less number of abortions, and 34 (60.7%) participants were belonging to class V showed history of abortion. Of total RTIs, 44.69% were mucopurulent cervicitis, followed by candidiasis and nonspecific vaginitis, with less proportion of gonococcal infections, syphilis, and herpetic ulcers. About 81.30% participants were presented with RTI who showed history of abortion and 83.7% who experienced RTI had undergone induced type of abortion and showed statistically significant association between RTI and method of induced abortion; but, the association between the place of induced abortion and RTI was statistically not significant. Conclusion: The results revealed an association between abortions and RTI.