Moreover, it is commonly believed in West Africa that whatever has happened to a mother can happen to a child, so the disease can be transmitted to offspring at birth. Because women more than men depend on their physical appearance for their self-esteem, yet are frequently economically dependent, physical defects caused by tropical diseases seriously ruin their prospects for marriage and survival, the research observes. It further says that women suffering from leprosy for example, are more readily evicted from their families than men. Schistosomiasis, leishmaniasis, leprosy, lymphatic filariasis and onchocerciasis all disfigure the body, but the nature and extent of disfigurement differ between men and women. And for cultural reasons, the research says, there has been little research into disfigurement from tropical diseases in women's genitals.
Some tropical diseases involve the urogenital organs.
In women, this can disfigure external genital organs, as well as chronic infection of the pelvic organs, reduced fertility and even complete infertility. The social significance of blood in the urine which usually, is the result of urinary schistomiasis, is completely different for men and women. So the women may hide their symptoms to avoid punishment by their husbands for sexual misconduct. It is true that pregnancy lowers resistance of women to some infectious diseases. In certain diseases, pregnancy reduces the effect of infection, followed by deterioration after delivery.