tailieunhanh - Reproductive Tract Infections: An Introductory Overview

Second, information providers such as teachers and facilitators should be trained to effectively convey reproductive health education to adolescents. Similarly, service providers should be trained on elements of adolescent friendly services. Third, since the adolescents showed positive attitudes towards health facilities for contraceptives and STI services, relevant authorities should prepare health facilities for adolescent-friendly services. A similar opportunity also exists in terms of promoting and distributing condoms for HIV/AIDS and FP programs since over three-fourths of the adolescents had favorable attitudes towards condom use for preventing pregnancy as well as infections. Finally, while the three-pronged intervention suggested. | Population Council Reproductive Tract Infections An Introductory Overview Reproductive tract infections are being increasingly recognized as a serious global health problem with impact on individual women and men their families and communities. They can have severe consequences including infertility ectopic pregnancy chronic pelvic pain miscarriage and increased risk of HIV transmission. Types of Infection Reproductive tract infections RTIs refer to three different types of infection which affect the reproductive tract Endogenous infections are probably the most common RTIs worldwide. They result from an overgrowth of organisms normally present in the vagina. Endogenous infections include bacterial vaginosis and candidiasis. These infections can be easily treated and cured. Iatrogenic infections occur when the cause of infection a bacterium or other micro-organism is introduced into the reproductive tract through a medical procedure such as menstrual regulation induced abortion the insertion of an IUD or during childbirth. This can happen if surgical instruments used during the procedure have not been properly sterilized or if an infection that was already present in the lower reproductive tract is pushed through the cervix into the upper reproductive tract. Sexually transmitted infections STIs are caused by viruses bacteria or parasitic microorganisms that are transmitted through sexual activity with an infected partner. About 30 different sexually transmitted infections have been identified some of which are easily treatable many of which are not. HIV the virus that causes AIDS is perhaps the most serious sexually transmitted infection as it eventually leads to death. STIs affect both men and women and can also be transmitted from mothers to children during pregnancy and childbirth. Global Burden RTIs are widespread. The World Health Organization estimates that each year there are over 333 million new cases of curable STIs. In addition UNAIDS calculates that in .