THE GLOBAL P Obstetric fistula is the most devastating frightful affliction of humankind.” Fistula women experiencing obstructed labor. Most Americans don’t know about obst United States more than 100 years ago t Obstetric fistula is a serious problem in t any medical help. In these cases, if a wo prolonged labor. The two great causes o inside the mother’s uterus. In poor countries, women often marry a may not be fully formed and an obstetri During labor contractions, the baby’s he pushing against the mother’s pelvic bon to die due to lack of blood flow to this a pushing creates a hole, or in medical ter between the birth passage and an intern bladder or rectum. A woman cannot hol sometimes bowel content as well. A wo also often include nerve damage to her because she has remained in a squatting enduring painful labor contractions for d Her baby is unlikely to survive. If she sur body is literally broken by childbirth. Un her husband because of her inability to community and forced to live an isolate result of being cursed or having sinned. profound psychological trauma resulting Further, because the birth rate in develo children are also developing obstetric fis age. In these cases, not only does the w affected by the rejection, poverty and m PROBLEM OF OBSTETRIC FIST g and serious of all childbirth injuries. It has been a is preventable when timely emergency obstet tetric fistula. Perhaps this is because it was near thanks to emergency cesarean section surgery. the world’s poorest countries, where most mot oman’s labor becomes obstructed, she will endu of obstructive labor are a small pelvis or a malpo at a young age. At the time of a young woman’s ic fistula injury is more likely to happen because ead is constantly ne — causing tissue area. All of that rms a “fistula,” nal organ such as the ld her urine, and oman’s injuries can lower extremities g position while days. rvives, a woman’s ncontrollably leaking bodily wastes, she will mos bear more children and her foul smell. She will ed existence. Oftentimes, her community believe And what is worse — she believes it, too. Wom g from their utter loss of status and dignity. oping countries is often high, women who alrea stula injuries – in addition to women who becom woman suffer, but her children do, too, for they c misery of their mother. TULA n labeled the “most tric care is available to rly eliminated in the thers give birth without ure days of painful, osition of the baby s first birth, her body e her pelvis is too small. st likely be rejected by l also be shunned by her es her condition is the men with fistula suffer ady have several me pregnant at a young cannot help but be
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THE GLOBAL PROBLEM OF OBSTETRIC FISTULA
Obstetric fistula is the most devastating and seri
frightful affliction of humankind.” Fistula is preventable
women experiencing obstructed labor.
Most Americans don’t know about obstetric fistula.
United States more than 100 years ago thanks to emergency cesarean section surgery.
Obstetric fistula is a serious problem in the world’s poorest countries, where most mothers give bi
any medical help. In these cases, if a woman’s labor becomes obstructed, she will endure days of painful,
prolonged labor. The two great causes of obstruct
inside the mother’s uterus.
In poor countries, women often marry at a young age.
may not be fully formed and an obstetric fistula injury is mor
During labor contractions, the baby’s head is constantly
pushing against the mother’s pelvic bone
to die due to lack of blood flow to this area.
pushing creates a hole, or in medical terms a “fistula,”
between the birth passage and an internal organ
bladder or rectum. A woman cannot hold her urine, and
sometimes bowel content as well. A woman’s injuries
also often include nerve damage to her lower extremities
because she has remained in a squatting position while
enduring painful labor contractions for days.
Her baby is unlikely to survive. If she survives, a woman’s
body is literally broken by childbirth. Uncontrollably leaking bodily wastes, she will
her husband because of her inability to bear more children and her foul smell. She will also be shunned by her
community and forced to live an isolated existence.
result of being cursed or having sinned.
profound psychological trauma resulting from their utter loss of status and dignity.
Further, because the birth rate in developing countries is often high, wom
children are also developing obstetric fistula injuries
age. In these cases, not only does the woman suffer, but her children do, too, for they cannot help but be
affected by the rejection, poverty and misery of their mother.
THE GLOBAL PROBLEM OF OBSTETRIC FISTULA
Obstetric fistula is the most devastating and serious of all childbirth injuries. It has been labeled the “most
Fistula is preventable when timely emergency obstetric care is
know about obstetric fistula. Perhaps this is because it was nearly eliminated
United States more than 100 years ago thanks to emergency cesarean section surgery.
fistula is a serious problem in the world’s poorest countries, where most mothers give bi
In these cases, if a woman’s labor becomes obstructed, she will endure days of painful,
The two great causes of obstructive labor are a small pelvis or a malposition of the baby
at a young age. At the time of a young woman’s first birth, her
nd an obstetric fistula injury is more likely to happen because her pelvis is too small.
During labor contractions, the baby’s head is constantly
pushing against the mother’s pelvic bone — causing tissue
area. All of that
n medical terms a “fistula,”
between the birth passage and an internal organ such as the
A woman cannot hold her urine, and
A woman’s injuries can
also often include nerve damage to her lower extremities
remained in a squatting position while
enduring painful labor contractions for days.
If she survives, a woman’s
Uncontrollably leaking bodily wastes, she will most
her husband because of her inability to bear more children and her foul smell. She will also be shunned by her
to live an isolated existence. Oftentimes, her community believe
cursed or having sinned. And what is worse — she believes it, too. Women with fistula suffer
profound psychological trauma resulting from their utter loss of status and dignity.
ecause the birth rate in developing countries is often high, women who already have several
developing obstetric fistula injuries – in addition to women who become pregnant at a young
In these cases, not only does the woman suffer, but her children do, too, for they cannot help but be
the rejection, poverty and misery of their mother.
THE GLOBAL PROBLEM OF OBSTETRIC FISTULA
It has been labeled the “most
when timely emergency obstetric care is available to
nearly eliminated in the
fistula is a serious problem in the world’s poorest countries, where most mothers give birth without
In these cases, if a woman’s labor becomes obstructed, she will endure days of painful,
ive labor are a small pelvis or a malposition of the baby
At the time of a young woman’s first birth, her body
e likely to happen because her pelvis is too small.
most likely be rejected by
her husband because of her inability to bear more children and her foul smell. She will also be shunned by her
Oftentimes, her community believes her condition is the
Women with fistula suffer
en who already have several
ecome pregnant at a young
In these cases, not only does the woman suffer, but her children do, too, for they cannot help but be
THE NUMBERS ARE STAGGERING
For the poorest of the poor, complications from pregnancy and childbirth are among the leading causes of
death and disability for women of reproducti
fistula as "the single most dramatic afte
adequate medical care may not be available or affordable, it is common for women nev
fistula surgery simply because they were too poor to afford medical help, or had no means of traveling to a
hospital, located so far away.
The best estimates show that as many as
number keeps growing bigger. Each year approximately
The international capacity to treat fistula patients has been estimated at
than half the amount of new cases each year
untreated patients.
There is clearly an overwhelming need for treating far more women.
TREATMENT OF OBSTETRIC FISTULA
The good news is that fistula is treatable. Repair su
rate. And for every one of those women successfully treated, a life will be freed from intense and pointless
suffering.
Hundreds of thousands of women worldwide are currently
obstetric fistula, a heartbreaking but treatable condition.