By: Aggrey Karani
Worth Noting:
- Some of the risks factors for fistula is teenage pregnancy, were you find the teen will give birth in a normal way, during giving birth; it leads to breaking of the genital parts of the teen. Poor access to medical care or the late access to medical attention when in labour pains also one of the biggest factors with malnutrition and obstructed labour. The symptoms may include foul smell due to virginal discharge, repeated urinary tract infections and pain in the virginal and during sex.
- With countries as Burkina believing that women with fistula are cursed and they should be killed or isolated and it is not medical condition as medical doctors say thus it has led to stigmatization of women this women of this side of Africa
With over 2 million women living with fistula globally, the WHO estimate that 50,000 to 100000 women worldwide each year are affected with obstetric fistula that is the abnormal opening that occurs between the women’s genital tract and her urinary tract. This type of fistula is the majour cause of maternal mortality and obstructed labour among the women.
With this women who suffer obstetric fistula suffering constant, shame, social segregation and other health problem. This fistula occurs when a mother has a prologed, obsturted labour and doesn’t have access to immediate medical attention.
Some of the risks factors for fistula is teenage pregnancy, were you find the teen will give birth in a normal way, during giving birth; it leads to breaking of the genital parts of the teen. Poor access to medical care or the late access to medical attention when in labour pains also one of the biggest factors with malnutrition and obstructed labour. The symptoms may include foul smell due to virginal discharge, repeated urinary tract infections and pain in the virginal and during sex.
With countries as Burkina believing that women with fistula are cursed and they should be killed or isolated and it is not medical condition as medical doctors say thus it has led to stigmatization of women this women of this side of Africa
Stigmatization among the fistula patients comes in different forms that explicit verbal abuse and devaluing them to be with others; women’s own anticipated stigma fearing that people may talk about her; and woman’s internalized stigmatization and revealed as being shameful, loss of self-worth, and self-importance. Thus the significant women affected by obstetric fistula isolate themselves from social interaction and leave their usual household roles, refrain from disclosing their situation they affoid even seeking healthcare, and thus may suffer different mental problems, all of which lead them to be unable to contribute positively to their society’s social, economic, and political development.
Obviously, stigmatization causes the majority of women living with obstetric fistula to experiencing severe psychological traumas including humiliation, being marginalized, abandonment, loneliness, divorce, and despair, which are the most difficult situations to bear. Also, they experience angriness, sadness, and shame associated with their inability to undertake their role in a decent manner, and being frightened of their future life in relation to having partners, marriage, sex, becoming pregnant, giving birth, and reintegrating back in their local communities.
Overall, stigmatization related to genital fistula has devastating health, social, economic, and psychological consequences on the health and well-being of the affected women, which in turn affects their rehabilitation and reintegration to their families and communities even after successful fistula repair. A number of strategies should be put in place to enable the affected women to be free from stigmatization, and also to encourage them to seek healthcare quickly and live freely a productive life after fistula treatment.
To reduce the perceived level of stigma and therefore to prevent the severe negative consequences of it, not only fathers, but also mothers, husbands, family members, and all the persons close to women living with genital fistulas should provide care and psychological support and all the necessary means to strongly encourage them to seek health care quickly, and to make them feel that they are beloved, and that there is hope for a healthy life in their near future. The government to also join in the fight against this stigmatization of these women let them be accepted into the family and community.