Updated: May 15, 2019
Originally Published: May 14, 2019
Trigger Warning: Child Loss/Stillbirth
At just 14 years old, Amina Kamara from Sierra Leone found herself thrust into marriage by her mother, who was desperate due to their life of severe poverty. Mere months after her wedding, she became pregnant at 15, facing the same devastating fate as countless other young girls in Africa—no access to prenatal care. When it came time to give birth, Amina’s husband chose not to take her to a medical facility, opting instead for a few traditional birth attendants to assist her. After enduring three to four hours of excruciating labor, Amina delivered a stillborn baby girl.
The aftermath of this traumatic event left Amina feeling “completely paralyzed.” She began experiencing urinary incontinence, and her community wrongfully attributed her condition to witchcraft, leading to her ostracization. Tragically, Amina was one of the estimated two million women and girls in Africa suffering from the childbirth injury known as obstetric fistula.
Understanding Obstetric Fistula
Obstetric fistula arises when labor becomes obstructed and emergency medical care is unavailable. Without timely intervention, this complication causes tissue death due to a lack of blood flow, resulting in significant gaps between the birth canal and the bladder or rectum. This ultimately leads to urinary and fecal incontinence. What’s even more shocking is that obstetric fistula is a preventable condition, yet the high prevalence is largely due to inadequate medical care and a shortage of trained midwives in many developing nations.
“Women and girls often endure labor for days; if they manage to reach a hospital, there might not be a doctor available or they may lack funds for a C-section,” explains Sarah Adams, Director of Operations for a non-profit organization called Healing Fistula, which aims to eliminate obstetric fistula.
If medical attention is delayed when obstetric fistula occurs, stillbirth is almost inevitable, and mothers may suffer lifelong consequences without surgical intervention. Lacking access to basic hygiene products, these women often resort to using rags to manage their leaking urine and feces.
“Their lives are truly miserable,” Adams emphasizes. “The smell is unbearable, leading to social isolation, where no one wants to engage with them.” Many women are even perceived as cursed, living in solitude and often relying on scraps for sustenance, afraid to drink water for fear of worsening their condition.
The Healing Process
Upon arriving at the clinic, many women and girls feel withdrawn and believe they have shamed their families. Healing Fistula provides fresh clothing, incontinence pads for symptom management, and emotional support to help these women cope with their trauma. Adams stresses that the first step to healing is reassuring these women that they are not at fault for their condition and that they are not alone.
“Their emotional recovery is just as vital as their physical healing,” Adams adds. Typically, the first encounter these women have with someone else suffering from fistula is at a Healing Fistula clinic, marking the beginning of their transformation.
The encouraging news? Obstetric fistula is treatable in 85% of cases. Through outreach programs, radio campaigns, and partnerships with patient advocates, Healing Fistula successfully provides surgical repairs and medical care to around 1,000 patients each year.
These women are not merely statistics; they are real individuals with hopes and dreams. In developed countries, obstetric fistula has nearly been eradicated, demonstrating that with proper medical treatment, these childbirth injuries can be significantly reduced.
Patients from ages 12 to 90 have entered Healing Fistula clinics feeling defeated and ashamed but leave feeling “healed, empowered, and renewed.” Amina has been fortunate enough to receive a free fistula repair surgery through Healing Fistula, allowing her to regain her ability to walk unassisted and to continue her emotional recovery from the trauma she endured.
“What impresses me most is the attentive care we receive at every moment,” Amina reflects. “Being here feels like home.”
Additional Resources
To learn more about overcoming infertility challenges, consider exploring resources like this one on what to expect during your first IUI. For those interested in home insemination options, check out this at-home insemination kit that could be helpful on your journey. Additionally, delve into the insights on navigating your couple’s fertility journey for intracervical insemination.
Summary
Amina Kamara’s story illustrates the harrowing effects of obstetric fistula, a childbirth injury that afflicts millions of women in Africa due to inadequate medical care. Non-profit organizations like Healing Fistula are making strides in providing surgical repairs and emotional support to these women, helping them regain their dignity and sense of self-worth. With a focus on healing both physically and emotionally, many women leave the clinics empowered and renewed, proving that with the right resources, obstetric fistula can be effectively treated.
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