Unexpectedly high symptom prevalence among urban Indian women highlights urgent need for integrated menstrual and sexual‑reproductive health interventions.
Authors
Supriya Garikipati, Centre for Sustainable Development, School of Politics and International Relations, University College Dublin, Ireland
Karan Babbar, Centre for Development Studies, Jindal Global Business School, O.P. Jindal Global University, Sonipat, Haryana, India
Tanya Mahajan, The Pad Project, Los Angeles, CA, United States
Summary
This short communication reports on the unexpectedly high prevalence of symptoms consistent with reproductive tract infections and sexually transmitted infections among urban, mid-to-high-income Indian women participating in a study on menstrual cup acceptability. As part of the screening process, data on gynaecological symptoms were collected via Google Forms, adhering to the World Health Organization (WHO) Syndromic Case Management Protocol. The exclusion criteria were based on this protocol, supplemented by expert recommendations and ethical review considerations. Given the online recruitment process, comprehensive exclusion data was available, allowing for a detailed assessment of symptom prevalence prior to exclusion.
Analysis revealed that of the 41.5% of the 164 respondents who registered for participation report at least one symptom consistent with the WHO protocol. This high prevalence, observed in a demographic often assumed to have better access to healthcare, highlights significant gaps in awareness, screening, and care-seeking behaviors. The findings underscore the need for more integrated approaches to menstrual health (MH) and sexual and reproductive health (SRH), leveraging MH interventions as entry points for proactive screening, improved health education and enhanced access to SRH services.
Published in: Journal of Water Sanitation and Hygiene for Development
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