The Silent Suffering: Obstetric Fistula in Ethiopia

Abstract

Obstetric fistula is a maternal morbidity that accounts for 6% of all maternal deaths worldwide. This condition occurs most commonly in areas of sub-Saharan Africa and rural south Asia where access to medical care and maternal education is not readily available. During prolonged or obstructed labor, a fistula can form connecting the rectum or urinary tract with the vagina. The condition is more common in young mothers who are pressured by their community, culture, or partner to have children early. This has severe and devastating potentially lifelong consequences. Women living with obstetric fistula experience chronic incontinence and associated odors, social and psychological isolation, and severe pain. Despite the condition being preventable and treatable with surgery, there is still a high prevalence in low-income countries. Although the incidences of obstetric fistula are difficult to document due to the lack of medical reporting, this analysis will focus on the effects of the disease in Ethiopia, one of the poorest countries in the world.