ArticleGlobal health action2019
Tuberculosis screening among pregnant women attending a tertiary care hospital in Puducherry, South India: is it worth the effort?
Article in Global health action, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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Who cites it
10 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 27 citations in OpenAlex.
- Community views on active case finding for tuberculosis in low- and middle-income countries: a qualitative evidence synthesis.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2024Pooled it
- Rapid molecular tests for tuberculosis and tuberculosis drug resistance: a qualitative evidence synthesis of recipient and provider views.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2022Pooled it
- Tuberculosis Screening During Pregnancy: A Systematic Review of Policies, Practices, and Perceptions Across Global Settings.International journal of women's health · 2026Review
- Comprehensive Review of Genital Tuberculosis: Epidemiological Patterns, Causal Agents, Diagnostic Strategies, Symptomatology and Fertility Consequences.Reproductive sciences (Thousand Oaks, Calif.) · 2025Review
- Article
- A mixed-methods study on impact of active case finding on pulmonary tuberculosis treatment outcomes in India.Archives of public health = Archives belges de sante publique · 2024Article
- Article
- Chest X-ray predicts cases of pulmonary tuberculosis among women of reproductive age with acute respiratory symptoms: A multi-center cross-sectional study.Journal of clinical tuberculosis and other mycobacterial diseases · 2023Article
- The clinical presentation and detection of tuberculosis during pregnancy and in the postpartum period in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review and meta-analysis.PLOS global public health · 2023Article
- A systematic review and meta-analysis of active case finding for tuberculosis in India.The Lancet regional health. Southeast Asia · 2022Article
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Authors and funding
10 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThe national tuberculosis (TB) programme in India recommends screening all pregnant women for TB, but this is rarely implemented. We carried out systematic TB screening among women attending the antenatal clinic of a tertiary care hospital in Puducherry, South India, during February to April 2018.
objectiveTo assess the number screened and number (proportion) with presumptive and active TB, and understand potential implementation from the healthcare providers' perspective.
methodsWe conducted a mixed-methods study. The quantitative phase was a cross-sectional study including 4203 pregnant women. Data were captured using a structured proforma. Any of the following symptoms constituted 'presumptive TB': any cough, haemoptysis, fever, weight loss, night sweats, neck swellings, joint pains, neck stiffness and disorientation. Those screening positive were referred for investigations and evaluation by a chest physician. The qualitative phase involved seven one-to-one interviews with healthcare providers. Manual thematic analysis was performed to generate themes.
resultsAmong 4203 women (two HIV-positive) screened, 77 (1.8%) had presumptive TB. Cough was the predominant symptom (n = 75). Only 12 women could produce a sputum sample, of whom one (0.02%) was diagnosed with active TB by the Xpert MTB/RIF assay. Challenges cited by healthcare providers were lack of awareness among clients and providers, high case load, lack of dedicated staff, perception that TB screening is a low-yield, low-priority activity and losses in the referral process. Suggested solutions were providing dedicated staff and space for screening, educating women to self-report using posters and videos, and creating a one-stop care provision.
conclusionsThe TB yield among pregnant women was very low, calling into question the value of systematic screening in a low-HIV setting. However, the findings may not be generalizable. Evidence is urgently needed from primary and secondary care facilities. The challenges and solutions identified may help in optimizing the screening process.
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