Maternal Health Matters: What Every Woman Should Know About Obstetric Fistula
Written by EDYOU FM Staff on May 30, 2025
May is observed globally as Maternal Health Month. It is a time to share experiences, discuss challenges and advocate for the essential care that women need throughout the stages of motherhood. In a recent radio interview, Gynaecologist Dr. Padmini Singh shared about Obstetric Fistula, one of the most devastating but preventable childbirth injuries.
What is Obstetric Fistula?
Obstetric fistula is a childbirth injury that creates an abnormal hole between the vagina and either the bladder or the rectum.
“If you were to break up the words into two”, Dr. Singh explained, “‘fistula’ is actually a hole… that shouldn’t be there and ‘obstetric’ deals with pregnancy, delivery and the postpartum period. So, an Obstetric Fistula occurs during childbirth when there is injury to the tissues in the pelvic floor and can lead to a hole.”
When the hole forms between the vagina and the bladder, it is called a Vesicovaginal Fistula. This causes an inability to control the flow of urine from the bladder (urinary incontinence). When the fistula occurs between the vagina and the rectum, it is called a Rectovaginal Fistula. This causes fecal incontinence, where stool escapes from the rectum through the vagina.
Who is at risk?
Obstetric Fistula occurs primarily in cases of prolonged or obstructed labor, especially when there is no access to emergency obstetric care, such as caesarean delivery. While there are no statistics on its prevalence in Guyana, Dr. Singh stated that the women who are at risk for this injury are:
● Teenage mothers, whose pelvises may not be fully developed,
● Malnourished women, who may have smaller body frames,
● Women giving birth, at home or in facilities without surgical capabilities,
● And mothers living in rural areas with limited access to healthcare.
Dr. Padmini Singh, Gynecologist-
Without proper medical intervention, the pressure from the baby’s head can block blood flow to pelvic tissues, causing them to die and break down, leaving behind a hole. Therefore, monitoring during labor and early medical attention are necessary to prevent this injury. How is it treated? Regarding treatment, surgical repair is the only way to treat Obstetric Fistula.
“The surgery all depends on where the fistula is, and it’s on a patient by patient basis. It would require a consultation, but it’s definitely surgical and it’s just finding the hole and then repairing it,” Dr. Singh explained.
“I want to encourage the public that if [Obstetric Fistula] does happen to you, you shouldn’t feel ashamed or you shouldn’t feel stigmatized, because we do find that females are less prone or less willing to talk about these problems…. It’s important for them to recognize that this is something that is happening to them and [they should] come to the hospital to be seen by an obstetrician and gynecologist.” – Dr. Padmini Singh, Gynecologist- Midway Specialty Care Centre,.
As we bring down the curtains on Maternal Health Month, Dr. Singh encourages women to take charge of their reproductive health. She advocates for regular visits to the OB/GYN beginning as early as the first period. She urges women to share their stories and experiences to erase the stigma surrounding women’s health issues, and encourages communities to support affected individuals with compassion and dignity
