Patna, Jan. 17: Fifty per cent people in Bihar have a mobile connection, but only 12 per cent homes have washrooms. The situation is worse in the rural areas, where women are forced to wait till dark to defecate in the open, leaving them vulnerable to various diseases.

Such, and many more, hazards to women’s health were the focus of a discussion today as part of a national seminar on “Women and Occupational Health: Stress, Hazards and Safety” at Patna Women’s College. The two-day seminar, which has been organised by the zoology departments of Patna Women’s College and JD Women’s College, invited several experts to discuss the issue.

Dr Geeta Sinha from the department of obstetrics and gynaecology of Patna Medical College and Hospital said: “Women have a stronger immunity system than men as the X chromosome present in their genes helps them fight diseases better. But women need care and love when they go through hormonal changes. In the pre-menstrual period, a woman tends to become irritated. But people don’t understand the reasons for such behaviour and consider the woman concerned suffering from some psychiatric disorder.”

The medic also suggested precautions for working women when they are pregnant. “A pregnant woman, who has to go to work everyday, has to be careful. She should avoid working in multiple shifts and long working hours. She should also take frequent toilet breaks. A mother-to-be should also take care not to sit or stand for long periods and should not bend. If such precautions are not taken, there might be some complications such as premature deliveries and miscarriages,” said Sinha.

Health department secretary-cum-executive director, State Health Society, Bihar, Sanjay Kumar addressed the poor sanitation facility in the villages. He said: “Open defecation is still a common practice in the villages of Bihar where women wait until dark to defecate in the open. Not only do the women make themselves vulnerable to infection but also to diseases from avoiding timely defecation.”