Early diagnosis of female genital TB can reduce morbidity

Dr AG Radhika, CNS Columnist

Photo credit: CNS: citizen-news.org

Tuberculosis (TB) is an important health problem in the low and middle income countries. Pulmonary TB is estimated to have affected about 14 million people in India, most of who are in the reproductive age group. About 12% of women with pulmonary TB also suffer from female genital TB (FGTB). FGTB constitutes almost 9% of extra-pulmonary cases of TB and 13% of gynaecological admissions in India. Infertility is the most frequent clinical presentation of FGTB (43%-74%).