TB virus may cause infertility in women
| Mar 24, 2019, 12:43 IST
The bacteria of tuberculosis usually has an effect on the lungs, but it can also spread and cause secondary infections to the uterus and even the fallopian tubes, which can reduce chances of pregnancy, health experts warned ahead of the World Tuberculosis Day that falls on March 24.
The infection is usually caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) bacteria, TB is the top infectious killer worldwide, claiming around 4,400 lives a day. When the bacteria attacks the uterus, it causes uterine tuberculosis (also known as pelvic TB) which mostly affects women during the child-bearing period and is usually diagnosed during an infertility check-up.
"Women are more often affected than males and due to uterine tuberculosis, two out of 10 females are unable to bear a child," Shweta Goswami, Infertility Specialist at Jaypee Hospital in Noida, told IANS.
"In extreme cases, the uterine lining becomes so thin that it is unable to bear implantation resulting in miscarriage," she added.
To combat the disease, it is essential that diagnostic facilities reach the farthest areas and people made aware of the consequences of contracting TB, said Rajkumar, Consultant Internal Medicine at New Delhi-based Indian Spinal Injuries Centre.
"It is also important that people thwart the factors that contribute to TB by making their living conditions more hygienic, improving immunity, and having better access to nutrition," he added.
The infection is usually caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) bacteria, TB is the top infectious killer worldwide, claiming around 4,400 lives a day. When the bacteria attacks the uterus, it causes uterine tuberculosis (also known as pelvic TB) which mostly affects women during the child-bearing period and is usually diagnosed during an infertility check-up.
"Women are more often affected than males and due to uterine tuberculosis, two out of 10 females are unable to bear a child," Shweta Goswami, Infertility Specialist at Jaypee Hospital in Noida, told IANS.
"In extreme cases, the uterine lining becomes so thin that it is unable to bear implantation resulting in miscarriage," she added.
To combat the disease, it is essential that diagnostic facilities reach the farthest areas and people made aware of the consequences of contracting TB, said Rajkumar, Consultant Internal Medicine at New Delhi-based Indian Spinal Injuries Centre.
"It is also important that people thwart the factors that contribute to TB by making their living conditions more hygienic, improving immunity, and having better access to nutrition," he added.