Prevalence of clinically detectable gynaecological morbidity in India: results of four community based studies.

In recent years there has been increased recognition of the scope and significance of gynaecological problems experienced by poor women in developing countries. The first and perhaps the most compelling evidence on the importance of gynaecological morbidity came from a community-based study undertaken in rural Maharashtra India in the mid-1980s. Subsequent empirical studies from Bangladesh Egypt Nigeria and Karnataka have all documented significant though lower levels of reproductive morbidity among the general population or among specific sub-populations such as contraceptive users. (excerpt)