Obstetric and gynecological care for Third World women

Abstract

The particular characteristics required for women's health care in the Third World are compared with these in developed countries. Women of the Third World present a different prevalence of specific diseases and give less attention to symptoms and to preventive measures. The health system is usually not well adapted to respond to these problems. Examples of the differences between the needs of health care of Third World women and those of developed countries are taken from certain aspects of pre-natal care, from the prevention of cancer of the cervix and from family planning. A critical analysis of the prevalent characteristics of women's care in the Third World was undertaken. As a result some basic points to be considered in the implementation of women's health care for the Third World were proposed: (1) avoid the uncritical simple replication of developed country's models; (2) application of a larger proportion of the resources to primary health care; (3) a more aggressive attitude to improve preventive measures; (4) efforts to maintain a continuous and non-sporadic contact between the health system and the target population; (5) greater attention to reference and contra-reference to improve the integration of the various levels of the health system; (6) delegation of functions from physicians to paramedical personnel; (7) emphasis on health education, both formal and in the day-to-day contact between health agents and target population.