Genital TB can impact fertility in women

Representational PictureStatistics indicate that about 30 percent of women with any type of TB can develop genital tuberculosis TB a condition that is one of the major causes of infertility in women The fact that Genital tuberculosis may be asymptomatic and could often go unrecognized or masquerade as other gynaecological conditions make it all the more necessary for a high degree of vigilance to be in place for proper diagnosis and treatmentTB infection is often serious and can damage the complete fallopian tube In the beginning small nodules of tubercular material deposit on the surface of the tubes Later the infection invades the tubes affecting the internal surface of the tubes Pus collects within the tubes blocking them either completely or partially resulting in a condition known as hydro salpingitis About 5 percent to 10 percent of women are prone to thisSpeaking about this Dr Hrishikesh D Pai Director IVF amp Infertility at Fortis Bloom IVF Center DelhiGurgaon said TB affects the lungs primarily and can be easy to detect Bacteria that directly attack the genital organs can make diagnosis difficult especially in the later stages thereby reducing the chances of conception Genital TB is of two types primary where the TB has initiated in the genital tract itself and secondary where it spreads through the bloodstream to the genital organs following tuberculosis infection anywhere else in the body It is imperative to understand that women with low immunity need to be extremely particular and undergo regular ageappropriate health checkups This is one of the best ways to diagnose any such infection at an early stage and avoid further complicationsVaginal discharge severe pain in the lower abdomen menstrual irregularities amenorrhea heavy bleeding and infertility are some common symptoms of genital TB In extreme cases where there is severe damage to the uterine lining menstruation can completely cease Dr Nandita Palshetkar Director IVF amp Infertility at Fortis Bloom IVF Center DelhiGurgaon further said An endometrial biopsy and laparoscopy can help detect whether the fallopian tube has been affected Another best advisable test that can be used to diagnose TB is a combination of AFB smear culture and PCR for tuberculosisTreatment should begin as soon as the condition is detected to prevent further complications However a lack of awareness and social stigma associated with TB makes this difficult There is a need to address this aspect extensively as many cases go undetected even today Although infertility is a cause of concern in genital TB women who undergo timely treatment can still hope to conceive thanks to assisted reproductive techniques such as IVF she added Due to its high prevalence especially in developing countries like India it is the duty of the medical fraternity to take care that the workup of an infertile couple should always include evaluation for tuberculosis irrespective of history or exposureCatch up on all the latest Crime National International and Hatke news here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updatesThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever