In Practice

A call to action: Addressing the reproductive health needs of women with drug-resistant tuberculosis

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Kathryn Schnippel, Norbert Ndjeka, Francesca Conradie, Rebecca Berhanu, Zerilda Claasen, Shabir Banoo, Cynthia Firnhaber

Abstract


Although there is substantial risk to maternal and neonatal health in the situation of pregnancy during treatment for rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis (RR-TB), there is little evidence to guide clinicians as to how to manage this complexity. Of the 49 680 patients initiated on RR-TB treatment from 2009 to 2014 in South Africa, 47% were women and 80% of them were in their reproductive years (15 - 44). There is an urgent need for increased evidence of the safety of RR-TB treatment during pregnancy, increased access to contraception during RR-TB treatment, and inclusion of reproductive health in research on the prevention and treatment of TB. 


Authors' affiliations

Kathryn Schnippel, Right to Care, Johannesburg, South Africa; Clinical HIV Research Unit, School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa

Norbert Ndjeka, Drug-Resistant TB, TB & HIV, National TB Control & Management Cluster, National Department of Health, Pretoria, South Africa

Francesca Conradie, Right to Care, Johannesburg, South Africa; Clinical HIV Research Unit, School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa

Rebecca Berhanu, Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA

Zerilda Claasen, Drug-Resistant TB, TB & HIV, National TB Control & Management Cluster, National Department of Health, Pretoria, South Africa

Shabir Banoo, Research and Services Support Unit, Right to Care, Johannesburg, South Africa

Cynthia Firnhaber, Right to Care, Johannesburg, South Africa; Clinical HIV Research Unit, School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa

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Keywords

Tuberculosis; Pregnancy; Contraception

Cite this article

South African Medical Journal 2016;106(4):333-334. DOI:10.7196/SAMJ.2016.v106i4.10205

Article History

Date submitted: 2015-10-14
Date published: 2016-03-17

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