Prevalence and factors associated with postpartum vaginal infection in the Khyber Agency federally administered tribal areas, Pakistan.
OBJECTIVE
To estimate the prevalence and to identify the factors associated with vaginal infection among the married women between the ages of 15-49 years residing in the Khyber Agency (FATA), Pakistan.


METHODS
A cross-sectional study was conducted in the month of July 2005 on 1084 mothers by using random sampling strategy in Khyber Agency Pakistan by trained nurses. The descriptive and multivariate statistics were computed.


RESULTS
The multivariate analysis showed that the associated factors with vaginal infection were the use of unhygienic material to soak up the lochia [aOR = 3.45, 95% CI (1.36, 8.75)], bathing after 40 days [aOR = 2.10, 95% CI (1.55, 3.14)], and women who did not receive antenatal care [OR = 3.87, 95% CI (1.93, 7.75)]. Also women who did not have medical facilities available [OR = 2.45, 95% CI (1.23, 5.06)] reported of vaginal infection.


CONCLUSIONS
This study concluded that there is considerable need for health education among women and the entire community for the maintenance of hygiene, safe delivery through medical personnel and improvement in the mobility of mothers and female education.
Ghani
Nasreen
N
Faculty, Post graduate Collage of Nursing, Hyatabad. Peshawar, School of Nursing2 and Department of Community Health Sciences3. Aga Khan University, Karachi.
Rukanuddin
Rafat Jan
RJ
Ali
Tazeen S
TS
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008427:Maternal Health Services / Q000592:standards*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010154:Pakistan / Q000453:epidemiology; D049590:Postpartum Period; D011247:Pregnancy; D015995:Prevalence; D011635:Public Health Administration; D011645:Puerperal Infection / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000209:etiology; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014623:Vaginal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000209:etiology