An evaluation of the prevalence, cause and risk factors associated with leucorrhoea in reproductive age group women

Authors

  • A. Priya Arthy Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, RNT Medical College, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India
  • Sangeeta Sen Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, RNT Medical College, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India
  • A. Ganesh Kumar Department of Marine Science, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli, Tamilnadu, India
  • R. Rajaram Department of Marine Science, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli, Tamilnadu, India
  • G. Archunan Department of Animal Science, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli, Tamilnadu, India

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18203/2320-1770.ijrcog20211131

Keywords:

Leucorrhoea, Prevalence, Reproductive age, Vaginitis

Abstract

Background: The community based study was carried out in women of reproductive age group with a specific aim to evaluate the prevalence and risk factors of leucorrhoea.

Methods: In this investigation, a total of 191 women who presented with gynaecological complaint of white discharge and seeking medical assistance was taken as a study sample for PAP smear. The basic details like socio demographic, past obstetric history and menstrual history were included prior to the smear study.

Results: High prevalence of vaginal discharge was observed in the age group of 30-39, those who had two parity, previous obstetric history of normal vaginal delivery and usage of Copper T as a method of contraception. The binary logistics model explains the risk factors levels of abnormal vaginal discharge with 95% confident interval. Based on the data analysed, the age group of 30-39 and 40-49 are more likely to have a risk of 3.22 and 2.68 folds respectively. Likewise, the participants with the history of diabetes had a 2.08 folds increased risk of leucorrhoea rather than other complications and 2.21 folds of risk to those who used barrier methods like condom as a contraceptive method.

Conclusions: The results concluded that the occurrence of vaginal discharge in women is age dependent and the most common risk factors for causing the vaginal discharge in the reproductive age group i.e. 30-49 years of age, are previous normal vaginal delivery, diabetes and usage of contraceptive methods like intra uterine contraceptive device and barrier methods.

References

Spence D, Melville C. Vaginal discharge. BMJ. 2007;335:1147-51.

Fonseca TM, Cesar JA, Mendoza-Sassi RA, Schmidt EB. Pathological vaginal discharge among pregnant women: pattern of occurrence and association in a population-based survey. Obstet Gynecol Int. 2013;590146.

Lanfranco OA, Alangaden GJ. Genitourinary Tract Infections. Diagn Microbiol Immuno Host. 2016;569-611.

Wessels JM, Felker AM, Dupont HA, Kaushic C. The relationship between sex hormones, the vaginal microbiome and immunity in HIV-1 susceptibility in women. Dis Model Mech. 2018;11:dmm035147.

Poria V, Joshi B, Agrawat H, Mohile N. Study of Candida and Trichomonas vaginalis in Leucorrhoea. J Ind Med Assoc. 1989;87:184-5.

Demba E, Morison L, Van der Loeff MS, Awasana AA, Gooding E, Bailey R, et al. Bacterial vaginosis, vaginal flora patterns and vaginal hygiene practices in patients presenting with vaginal discharge syndrome in The Gambia, West Africa. BMC Infect Dis. 2005;5:12.

Panda S, Nagamanasa P, Panda SS, Ramani T. Incidence of candidiasis and trichomoniasis in leucorrhoea patients. Int J Curr Res Rev. 2013;5:92.

Fernandopulle R. An overview on approach to diagnosis and management of vaginal discharge in gynaecological practice. Sri Lanka J Obstet Gynaecol. 2012;34.

Bland P, Rakoff A. Leucorrhea: diagnosis and treatment. M World. 1940;58:562-7.

Patel V, Pednekar S, Weiss H, Rodrigues M, Barros P, Nayak B, et al. Why do women complain of vaginal discharge? A population survey of infectious and pyschosocial risk factors in a South Asian community. Int J Epidemiol. 2005;34:853-62.

Organization WH Global health sector strategy on sexually transmitted infections 2016-2021: toward ending STIs. World Health Organization. 2016.

Control DoA. Prevention, Management and Control of Reproductive Tract Infections and Sexually Transmitted Infections. 2014.

Patel NJ, Mazumdar VS. The current status of sexually transmitted infections/reproductive tract infections in Vadodara City: Health-care provider perspective. Indian J Comm Med. 2019;44:247.

Kala B, Jayabharathi K. Assess the prevalence of leucorrhoea among women in reproductive age group. Int J Res Pharm Sci. 2019;10:2742-4.

Singh A. Vaginal discharge: Its causes and associated symptoms as perceived by rural North Indian women. Indian J Community Med. 2007;32: 22.

Chaudhary V, Kumar R, Agrawal VK, Singh A, Narula R, Sharma M. Prevalence and determinants of vaginal discharge among women of reproductive age group in tertiary care hospital of Northern India. National J Community Med. 2012;3:661-5.

Tanksale V, Sahasrabhojanee M, Patel V, Nevrekar P, Menezes S, Mabey D. The reliability of a structured examination protocol and self administered vaginal swabs: a pilot study of gynaecological outpatients in Goa, India. Sex Transm Infect. 2003;251-3.

Oltenacu P, Britt J, Braun R, Mellenberger R. Relationships among type of parturition, type of discharge from genital tract, involution of cervix, and subsequent reproductive performance in Holstein cows. J Dairy Sci. 1983;66:612-9.

Modak T, Arora P, Agnes C, Ray R, Goswami S, Ghosh P, et al. Diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis in cases of abnormal vaginal discharge: comparison of clinical and microbiological criteria. J Infect Dev Countries. 2011;5:353-60.

Khamees SS. Characterization of vaginal discharge among women complaining of genital tract infection. Int J of Pharm & Life Sci. 2012;3(10):1-6.

Ramadhanti IP. Henna Leaves (Impatiens Balsamina L) On Pathological Leukorrhea In Premarital Women. BLOSSOM, 2020;1:24-9.

Mania-Pramanik J, Kerkar S, Salvi V. Bacterial vaginosis: a cause of infertility? Int J STD & AIDS, 2009;20:778-81.

Casari E, Ferrario A, Morenghi E, Montanelli A. Gardnerella, Trichomonas vaginalis, Candida, Chlamydia trachomatis, Mycoplasma hominis and Ureaplasma urealyticum in the genital discharge of symptomatic fertile and asymptomatic infertile women. New Microbiol. 2010;33:69.

Wah RM, Anderson DJ, Hill JA. Asymptomatic cervicovaginal leukocytosis in infertile women. Fertil Steril. 1990;54:445-50.

Hill JA, Anderson DJ. Human vaginal leukocytes and the effects of vaginal fluid onlymphocyte and macrophage defense functions. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1992;166:720-6.

Lazenby GB, Soper DE, Nolte FS. Correlation of leukorrhea and Trichomonas vaginalis infection. J Clini Microbiol. 2013;51:2323-7.

Kaur J, Kapoor A. Perceptions and knowledge about leukorrhea in a slum dwelling South Asian community. J Fam Reprod Health. 2014;8:45.

Uwakwe K, Iwu A, Obionu C, Duru C, Obiajuru I, Madubueze U. Prevalence, pattern and predictors of abnormal vaginal discharge among women attending health care institutions in Imo State, Nigeria. J Community Med Prim Health Care. 2018;30:22-35.

Balkwill F, Mantovani A. Inflammation and cancer: back to Virchow? The lancet. 2001;357:539-45.

Coussens LM, Werb Z. Inflammation and cancer. Nature. 2002;420:860-7.

Nwankwo E, Kandakai Olukemi Y, Shuaibu S. Aetiologic agents of abnormal vaginal discharge among females of reproductive age in Kano, Nigeria. J Med Biomed Sci. 2010;12-6.

Kulkarni R, Durge P. A study of leucorrhoea in reproductive age group women of Nagpur City. Indian J Public Health. 2005;49:238-9.

Downloads

Published

2021-03-24

Issue

Section

Original Research Articles