Obstetric Fistula: A Devastating Childbirth Injury
Obstetric fistula is a serious and often life-changing condition that affects millions of women and girls in developing countries. It is a hole that develops between the birth canal and the bladder or the rectum, causing constant leakage of urine or feces. It usually occurs as a result of prolonged and obstructed labor, when the baby's head presses against the mother's pelvic bone, cutting off blood supply to the surrounding tissues. Without timely access to quality emergency obstetric care, such as caesarean section, the affected tissues die and leave a hole.
Consequences of Obstetric Fistula for Women
The consequences of obstetric fistula are devastating for the women and girls who suffer from it. They face physical pain, infection, infertility, social stigma, isolation, and depression. Many of them are abandoned by their husbands and families, and ostracized by their communities. They may also lose their livelihoods and their dignity. Some of them may even die from complications or suicide.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), between 50,000 and 100,000 women develop obstetric fistula each year, and more than 2 million women live with untreated obstetric fistula in sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, the Arab region, and Latin America. The majority of them are young, poor, rural, and illiterate. They often have little or no access to reproductive health services, family planning, skilled birth attendance, or emergency obstetric care. They also face gender discrimination, early marriage, teenage pregnancy, malnutrition, and harmful traditional practices that increase their risk of developing obstetric fistula.
Human Rights Issue
Obstetric fistula is not only a health problem, but also a human rights issue. It violates the rights of women and girls to health, education, employment, participation, and dignity. It reflects the inequalities and injustices that they face in their societies. It also hinders their potential and contribution to the development of their families, communities, and countries.
How to Prevent Obstetric Fistula
The good news is that obstetric fistula is preventable and treatable. With proper antenatal care, skilled birth attendance, timely referral to emergency obstetric care, and access to family planning, most cases of obstetric fistula can be avoided. For those who already have obstetric fistula, surgical repair can restore their health and hope.
According to WHO, about 80-95% of vaginal fistula can be closed surgically with good results. However, many women with obstetric fistula are unaware of the treatment options or unable to access them due to a lack of information, resources, or services.
Therefore, there is an urgent need to raise awareness about obstetric fistula among the general public, health workers, policy makers, donors, and the media. There is also a need to increase the availability and quality of prevention and treatment services for obstetric fistula in affected countries.
Moreover, there is a need to address the underlying causes of obstetric fistula such as:
- Poverty
- Gender inequality
- Lack of education
- Early marriage
- Teenage pregnancy
- Malnutrition, and
- Harmful traditional practices.
Finally, there is a need to support the rehabilitation and reintegration of women and girls who have been treated for obstetric fistula into their families and communities.
Obstetric fistula is not only a medical condition but also a social injustice that affects millions of women and girls around the world. It is a manifestation of the neglect and marginalization that they face in their societies. It is also a challenge to our collective conscience and responsibility to ensure that every woman and girl has access to quality reproductive health care and enjoys her human rights and dignity.
Do you feel symptoms of obstetric fistula or know of any woman or girl child who does? Contact us today. We are medical health professionals strictly focused on women's health care.