Frequency and Causes of Women's Referral to the Specialized Health Services in Ahvaz, 2023

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Associate Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.

2 Assistant Professor, Fertility, Infertility and Fetal Health Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.

3 General Physician, Student Research Committee, Faculty of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.

4 Assistant Professor, Fertility, Infertility and Fetal Health Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran. Assistant Professor of Biology, Clinical Research Development Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.

Abstract

Introduction: Women's health is recognized as a fundamental axis in family and community health. This study was conducted with aim to investigate the common reasons for women's referral to the specialized women's clinics in Ahvaz.
Methods: This cross-sectional retrospective study was conducted on 252 women referring to the specialized women's clinics in Ahvaz. Data were collected by census method from medical records between Oct 2023 and Mar 2024. Demographic information, medical history, and reasons for referral were reviewed in full compliance with ethical standards. Simple random sampling was performed from 1600 records and considering the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data analysis was performed by SPSS software (version 26) and Chi-square test. P<0.05 was considered significant.
Results: In this study, 21 (8.3%) had a history of infertility and 231 (91.6%) reported no history of infertility. Also, 64 (25.4%) reported a history of at least one miscarriage and 41 (16.2%) had irregular menstrual bleeding. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) was the most common with 27 cases (10.7%), and then vaginal infections with 17 cases (6.7%) and chronic pelvic pain with 15 cases (5.9%). Moreover, 5 (2.0%) of the women had primary infertility and 11 (4.3%) had secondary infertility. Oncological problems with 3 cases (1.2%) and genital warts with 1 case (0.4%) had the lowest prevalence among the patients. Pregnancy care with 140 cases (55.5%) was the most common reason for women to visit the hospital (P<0.05).
Conclusion: Prenatal care was the main focus of referrals, while attention to preventive screenings and management of common problems such as obesity, miscarriage, and polycystic ovary syndrome in the study population needs to be strengthened.

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Main Subjects

References

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The Iranian Journal of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Infertility
Volume 28, Issue 11
January 2026
Pages 1-10

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