A report on the reproductive health of women after the massive 2008 Wenchuan earthquake

Objective: To evaluate the reproductive health of women in the aftermath of the 2008 Richter scale 8.0 Wenchuan earthquake in China. Methods: Gynecologists surveyed 170 women using a questionnaire inquiring about symptoms of reproductive tract infection, menstruation disorders, satisfaction with sexual life, and desire for fertility. Results: The rates of symptoms of lower genital tract infection were higher after than before the earthquake (50.0% vs 26.5%), as were the rates for pelvic inflammatory disease (35.9% vs 19.4%) and menstruation disorders (51.8% vs 22.4%) (P<0.05 for all). At the same time, the women's satisfaction with their sexual life was markedly decreased; 89.4% of them said they would not pursue a plan to become pregnant; and 67.1% said they would request pregnancy termination if they became pregnant. Conclusion: The findings of this first population-based assessment of reproductive health following the massive Wenchuan earthquake may help in shaping public health measures benefiting women surviving large-sale disasters. (C) 2009 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.