Obstetric fistula is one of the most debilitating and serious childbirth injuries.
Will you help end the devastation of fistula for women like Mary?
Imagine never feeling clean, no matter how much you wash. Imagine being so afraid of going to the toilet that you limit how much you eat and drink. Imagine living with constant discomfort, agony, and deep shame.
For Mary, who lives in Nigeria, East Africa, this has been her reality for thirteen years – ever since she experienced a horrific childbirth injury: fistula.
“I first noticed I had a tear maybe two or three weeks after childbirth. I noticed that if I use the toilet and clean up, when I go back to the toilet I always see there are some remnants of faeces.”
An obstetric fistula happens when, during a prolonged labour, the baby becomes trapped in the birth canal and the physical pressure tears a hole between the birth canal and the bladder or the rectum.
It is difficult to fully comprehend the stigmatising impact of fistula for women in Nigeria. The leaking of urine and faeces stains a woman’s clothes, and the wetness and smell is extremely uncomfortable. All of this is made more difficult by the rejection that many women face by their families and friends, and sometimes their whole communities.
Your donation can enable women like Mary to access the corrective surgery they urgently need.
Penelope Wilton, Actor and Friend of CBM
“More than 150,000 women are living in with obstetric fistula in Nigeria simply because they don’t have access to quality maternal healthcare services.
This debilitating condition leaves women isolated and alone, stigmatised by their communities, all because of a medical condition that can be treated.
It’s heartbreaking to know that some women have been living with the devastating impacts of obstetric fistula for years, even decades.
This is why the work of CBM and their partners in Nigeria is vital, and they need your support today to reach women living in some of the world’s poorest communities.”
What is Fistula?
Fistula is a debilitating condition causing incontinence and a risk of life-threatening infection. A fistula (a hole in the birth canal) is usually the result of prolonged labour and lack of maternal healthcare.
More than two million women are living with fistula in low-and-middle income countries. According to the World Health Organisation between 50,000 to 100,000 women worldwide develop obstetric fistula every single year. In these countries, for every woman who receives treatment, at least 50 go without.
Nigeria is placed among the top 10 most dangerous places for a woman to give birth. Worldwide, 40% of obstetric fistula cases are in Nigeria. Although obstetric fistula surgery is relatively simple and can take just 30 minutes, in Nigeria few surgeons are trained in this delicate operation.
CBM is working with local partners in Nigeria to support access to good quality maternal and new-born health services which can prevent and treat fistula.
Donate now
Please help women like Mary receive life-changing surgery, recover, and rebuild their lives.