Reproductive Tract Infections

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-x

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2. Introduction

   1. Introduction

      • Adrienne Germain

      Pages 1-4

3. Overview of Reproductive Tract Infections

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 5-5

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   2. Reproductive Tract Infections: Challenges for International Health Policy, Programs, and Research

      • Judith N. Wasserheit, King K. Holmes

      Pages 7-33

   3. Sexually Transmitted Diseases: Current and Future Dimensions of the Problem in the Third World

      • Robert C. Brunham, Joanne E. Embree

      Pages 35-58

4. Programmatic Issues

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 59-59

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   2. Women’s Health: Importance of Reproductive Tract Infections, Pelvic Inflammatory Disease and Cervical Cancer

      • André Meheus

      Pages 61-91

   3. Family Planning: The Responsibility to Prevent Both Pregnancy and Reproductive Tract Infections

      • Willard Cates, Katherine M. Stone

      Pages 93-129

   4. Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection Prevention: The Need for Complementary STD Control

      • Marie Laga

      Pages 131-144

   5. Maternal Health and Child Survival: Opportunities to Protect Both Women and Children from the Adverse Consequences of Reproductive Tract Infections

      • Kenneth F. Schulz, Joann M. Schulte, Stuart M. Berman

      Pages 145-182

5. Actions for Consideration

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 183-183

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   2. Sexual Behavior as a Risk Factor for Sexually Transmitted Disease

      • Sevgi O. Aral

      Pages 185-198

   3. Assessment and Prioritization of Actions to Prevent and Control Reproductive Tract Infections in the Third World

      • Allan Ronald, Sevgi O. Aral

      Pages 199-225

   4. Economic Impact of Reproductive Tract Infections and Resources for Their Control

      • Peter Piot, Jane Rowley

      Pages 227-249

6. Country Cases

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 251-251

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   2. Reproductive Tract Infections in Brazil: Solutions in a Difficult Economic Climate

      • Aníbal Faúndes, Ana Cristina Tanaka

      Pages 253-273

   3. Reproductive Tract Infections in Kenya: Insights for Action from Research

      • A. B. N. Maggwa, E. N. Ngugi

      Pages 275-295

   4. Reproductive Tract Infections in Nigeria: Challenges for a Fragile Health Infrastructure

      • Adeyemi O. Adekunle, Oladapo A. Ladipo

      Pages 297-316

   5. Reproductive Tract Infections in India: The Need for Comprehensive Reproductive Health Policy and Programs

      • Usha K. Luthra, Suman Mehta, N. C. Bhargava, Prema Ramachandran, N. S. Murthy, A. Sehgal et al.

      Pages 317-342

   6. Reproductive Tract Infections in Mozambique: A Case Study of Integrated Services

      • Rui Bastos dos Santos, Elena Maria Pereira Folgosa, Lieve Fransen

      Pages 343-360

Reproductive tract infections (RTis) have become a silent epidemic that is devastating women's lives. Each year, thousands of women die needlessly from the consequences of these infections, including cervical cancer, ectopic pregnancy, acute and chronic infections of the uterus and the fallopian tubes, and puerperal infections. For many women, this happens because they receive medical attention too late, if at all. The terrible irony of this tragedy is that early diagnosis of and treatment for many RTis do not require high-technology health care. For the hundreds of millions of women with chronic RTis acquired from their sexual partners, life can become a living hell. Infection is a major cause of infertility, and it leads to scorn and rejection in many countries. These women may experience constant pain, have festering lesions of the genital tract, be at enhanced risk of second­ ary diseases, and endure social ostracism. The problems associated with RT!s have grown even greater in the past decade with the emergence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and AIDS. Preexisting sexually transmitted disease, particularly when associated with genital tract ulcers, raises women's vulnerability to the transmission of HIV 3-5 fold.

• Assessment
• Prevention
• Sexually Transmitted Diseases
• Virus
• infection
• infection prevention
• infections
• infectious diseases

• International Women’s Health Coalition, New York, USA

  Adrienne Germain

• University of Washington, Seattle, USA

  King K. Holmes

• Institut de Medicina Tropicale, Antwerp, Belgium

  Peter Piot

• National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, USA

  Judith N. Wasserheit

Policies and ethics