Coastal Women at High Risk of Cervical Cancer

Dr. Sayed Humayun Kabir

Cervical cancer is recognized globally as one of the most preventable types of cancer among women. However, in Bangladesh, the risk of cervical cancer is disproportionately higher in coastal regions.

Statistics indicate that of the hundreds of thousands of women at risk of cervical cancer in the country annually, a significant portion resides in these coastal belts.

Nearly 50% of women in coastal areas spend the majority of their time in water for their livelihood. Their primary source of income is shrimp farming (ghers), where the salinity level is high. Many adolescent girls engage in catching shrimp fry at a young age due to economic necessity. Both housewives and young girls spend long hours in saline water collecting tiny shrimp. Spending the vast majority of the day in saltwater keeps their lower bodies damp for prolonged periods, leading to frequent uterine infections and escalating the risk of cervical cancer. Research shows that long-term exposure to saline water disrupts the natural microbial balance of the vagina and uterus. This leads to recurrent infections, inflammation, and chronic uterine complications. In medical terms, these persistent infections eventually increase the susceptibility to cervical cancer.

Climate change has intensified salinity in coastal regions. Areas such as various upazilas in Khulna, Bagerhat, Satkhira, and Bhola, as well as Hatiya, Maheshkhali, Kutubdia, Teknaf, and Sandwip, have faced a long-standing shortage of potable water. Women are forced to use saline water for daily bathing, washing clothes, and personal hygiene. Beyond uterine diseases, the excessive daily use of salt water has led to increased rates of miscarriage, hypertension, and gestational complications among coastal women. Studies suggest these physical changes also indirectly heighten the risk of cervical cancer.

Data on menstrual hygiene management reveals that a large segment of coastal women remains outside the scope of safe practices due to structural weaknesses. Due to the unavailability of sanitary napkins, poverty, and lack of awareness, they reuse old rags washed in saline water. According to doctors, using unhygienic and damp cloth facilitates rapid bacterial growth, multiplying the risk of uterine infection. If left neglected for a long time, these infections can transition into a pre-cancerous state.

The severity of uterine ailments is notably higher in salinity-prone villages. Consequently, many women in these areas are forced to undergo hysterectomies (removal of the uterus) at a young age. Following the surgery, many are abandoned by their husbands who then remarry, creating social instability. Experts argue that removing the uterus without addressing the root cause of the infection creates new health crises rather than reducing long-term risks.

Women living in coastal areas have long faced high health risks due to environmental, social, and economic realities. Awareness regarding the early symptoms of cervical cancer is extremely low among them. In many cases, abnormal discharge, pain, or infections are ignored as common issues. As a result, diagnosis occurs at a late stage when treatment becomes complex and expensive. Research suggests that the lack of awareness and primary screening are the leading causes of increased risk in this region.

The long-term impact of saline water, inadequate personal protection, and a lack of awareness are driving up the risks for coastal women. Health experts believe that targeted and specific initiatives are required to reduce the risk of cervical cancer in these areas. This crisis cannot be mitigated without sustainable access to fresh water, safe menstrual hygiene management, regular screening, and awareness campaigns. The problem can be addressed by providing technical training for the financial empowerment of coastal women, increasing the number of community health workers, and implementing reproductive health awareness programs in educational institutions for women and adolescent girls.

The writer Dr. Sayed Humayun Kabir (Public Health and Cancer Prevention Researcher; President, World Cancer Society Bangladesh).