Tuberculosis and Women

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2004-6-22

This is the VOA Special English Health Report.

Tuberculosis kills about two million people a year. The
international campaign called Stop TB says this lung disease kills
more men than women in most of the world. Yet it says tuberculosis
kills more women than all pregnancy related disorders combined.

And, in some cultures, women who get TB face additional problems.
They may not be able to leave their families or their jobs to go to
a health center that is far away. They may be required to have their
husband, father or brother take them for care. They may also have to
depend on men to get them medicine.

Women often get TB during their most productive years. They are
having babies, caring for their families and often working in paid
jobs. Most women who die of tuberculosis are between the ages of
fifteen and forty-four. Often they die for lack of treatment or
because of poor treatment.

Tuberculosis is especially easy to catch in places where people
live close together. Most people who get infected with TB never get
sick. But mothers who do, and are not treated, can easily spread the
disease to their children. The germs are spread through the air when
a person with TB coughs or sneezes.

People with active cases of tuberculosis have a bad cough. Other
signs include pain in the chest and coughing up blood. Tuberculosis
also produces weakness, increased body temperature and weight loss.

Some women worry about rejection by family members and employers
if they have TB. The World Health Organization leads the StopTB
campaign. Campaign officials say there is no reason to reject
someone who has TB. They say it is important to know that
tuberculosis can be cured. People must take medicine for several
months. But doctors say a person taking the medicine stops infecting
others in about two weeks.

Women may be concerned about taking tuberculosis drugs if they
are pregnant. But experts at the American Centers for Disease
Control advise them to continue treatment. And the women should get
their treatment from a trained doctor or health care worker. That
way they know they are taking the right medicine.

The C.D.C also says women who take TB drugs can continue to
breastfeed their babies. This is important for the development of
natural defenses in babies.

This VOA Special English Health Report was written by Karen
Leggett.


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