Reproductive Health and Morbidity among Women in Urban Slum of Lucknow: A Case Study*

There is a growing recognition that gynaecological morbidity is much higher among the women of urban slums. Community-based studies of the prevalence and nature of reproductive health problems that can provide information to health-planners and policy-makers regarding appropriate strategies to improve women's reproductive health are much needed. Yet, information on the levels and patterns of problems related to reproductive health experienced by women in India is sparse. Therefore, against this backdrop, the present study has been conducted to know the several aspects of reproductive health among the women in an urban slum‘Sikandarnagar Basti’ of Lucknow. In the course of this anthropological study, extensive field work has been done in the year 2010– 2011. It includes both the primary as well as secondary sources of data. The sample of 100 ever-married women has been selected through simple random sampling. All the respondents have been interviewed intensively. Along with it, observation, case study method and photography have been used extensively for data collection. The study reveals that a large proportion of women in Sikandarnagar Basti are suffering from several reproductive health problems, but they experience morbidity silently, and are reluctant to seek care or to visit clinics and hospitals, as in the context of health, disease and treatment. The belief in supernatural agency was predominant in the society. Along with it, poverty, lack of education and unawareness were the hindrance in improving their health status and making the situation more critical.