Abstract
Objective: Obstetric fistula (OF) is one of the worst childbirth morbidities with medico-social consequences like amenorrhoea, infertility and marital disharmony. This study seeks to document the profile of Obstetric fistula survivors who had subsequent childbirth (Subsequent Childbirth group-(SCBG) with unrepaired OF and to compare their profile with the profile of the rest of the study population who did not achieve a childbirth Non Childbirth Group- (NCBG). Setting: The setting was the Southeast Fistula Centre, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria. Population: Two hundred and eighty-two clients with unrepaired OF participated Method: This was a cross-sectional study. Results: The prevalence of childbirth among the study population was 30%. The median age for the childbirth group was 45.8years. The median duration of fistula was 7.5years and 5.3years for the child birth group and the non child birth group respectively. Fifty-seven percent of the childbirth group were still married as against 60.6% for non child birth group. The prevalence of childlessness was 25% and 47% for the child birth group and the non childbirth group respectively. The prevalence of secondary amenorrhoea was 22% and 41% in the SCBG and NCBG respectively. Conclusion: Despite the limitation of this cross-sectional quantitative study, its findings calls for a more elaborate study on the social context of obstetric fistula in south east Nigeria.
Highlights
IntroductionObstetric fistula occurs rarely in the developed nations of the world and has a greater burden in Africa and Asia
In the developing countries VVF is considered as a significant public health challenge to safer motherhood because the magnitude of the problem is immense [1].Obstetric fistula occurs rarely in the developed nations of the world and has a greater burden in Africa and Asia
A total of 282 consenting Obstetric fistula survivors were recruited over the study period
Summary
Obstetric fistula occurs rarely in the developed nations of the world and has a greater burden in Africa and Asia. The exact prevalence of Obstetric fistula in Nigeria is unknown, but Nigeria is reported to have probably the greatest burden of obstetric fistula worldwide with an estimated 100,000 to one million client [2,3]. Some estimates have reported a minimum of 2-5 OF per thousand deliveries when the mother survives [3]. A hospital prevalence rate of 0.44 per 100,000 deliveries was reported from a Teaching Hospital in Abakaliki, Southeast Nigeria [2]. The true burden of fistula may remain difficult to determine because of the associated stigmatization and the patients are often ostracised
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