Reproductive Health Problems of Women in Rural Uttar Pradesh: Observations from a Community Survey

Abstract

A major challenge under the new RCH approach is operationalising the paradigm shift to a comprehensive and integrated program into reality. The new approach needs to be gender-sensitive, dealing with all aspects of human sexuality with a life-cycle approach to address reproductive health (RH) needs of men and women. The present paper attempts to understand reproductive health problems of women in Agra district as well as provider's difficulties in addressing to those issues. Two sets of data from the rural areas of Agra district have been used in this paper: (a) Community survey; and (b) In-depth interviews with providers. 77 per cent of the ever-married eligible women in their reproductive age reported at least one symptom indicating reproductive health problem. Only 28 per cent of them had taken treatment or consulted a health provider; mostly had relied upon private medical practitioners. Majority of the ANMs reported that women contact them with problems of white discharge, menstrual cycle, infertility, prolapse, abortion and PID.