BACKGROUND Obstetric fistula is a physically and socially disabling obstetric complication that affects about 3,000 women in Tanzania every year. The fistula, an opening that forms between the vagina and the bladder and/or the rectum, is most frequently caused by unattended prolonged labour, often associated with delays in seeking and receiving appropriate and adequate birth care. Using the ava...

Despite growing recognition of the importance of linking obstetric fistula prevention and treatment strategies with rehabilitation and social reintegration programmes, little research and programming has been oriented toward this goal. Using in-depth interviews, this study aimed to examine the experiences of 51 Ethiopian women after fistula repair surgery to identify priority post-repair interv...

INTRODUCTION To evaluate the need for a prognostic classification system for obstetric fistula (OF) with the data obtained by a voluntarily action for OF repair in a regional hospital and Niger, Africa. MATERIAL AND METHODS Obstetric fistula (OF) characteristics of 51 women with vesicovaginal fistula in a fistula campaign in Maradi Regional Hospital, Niger were evaluated. Initial basic gyneco...

BACKGROUND Obstetric fistula affects a woman's life physically, psychosocially, and economically. Although surgery can repair the physical damage of fistula, the devastating consequences that affect a woman's quality of life may persist when she reintegrates into her community. This qualitative study assessed long-term outcomes among women who underwent obstetric fistula repair in Malawi. We ex...

She lost her baby 20 years ago. It was a long labor, lasting four merciless days, followed by a seemingly longer trip to the hospital on the back seat of an antique motorcycle, culminating in a desperate cesarean section, with only one life left to save. Two decades later, it is not the brooding absence of a long lost child that lingers on her features, but rather the accumulated sorrow of a li...

BACKGROUND The prevalence of depression is not well studied among women with pelvic floor disorders. Hence, this study aimed to determine the prevalence of depression and its associated factors among women with pelvic floor disorders. METHODS A cross-sectional study was conducted among 306 women with one or more of the advanced pelvic floor disorders who attended at the gynaecologic outpatien...

BACKGROUND Obstetric fistula continues to have devastating effects on the physical, social, and economic lives of thousands of women in many low-resource settings. Governments require credible estimates of the backlog of existing cases requiring care to effectively plan for the treatment of fistula cases. Our study aims to quantify the backlog of obstetric fistula cases within two states via co...

OBJECTIVE To demonstrate a new application of structured expert judgement to assess the effectiveness of surgery to correct obstetric fistula in a low-income setting. Intervention effectiveness is a major input of evidence-informed priority setting in healthcare, but information on intervention effectiveness is generally lacking. This is particularly problematic in the context of poorly resourc...