Tears of Childbirth: Lived Experiences of Women with Obstetric Fistula in Northcentral Nigeria

Abstract

Motherhood is expected to be a time of joy but women often die or develop complications, such as obstetric fistula during the process of child-bearing. Obstetric fistula is regarded as the most devastating of all childbirth related morbidities. The study explored the lived experiences of women who have had obstetric fistula repair at a Specialist Hospital in the Northcentral, Nigeria. The study was qualitative, descriptive and phenomenological. Total population and purposive sampling techniques were used to guide the recruitment of nineteen women. Tesch’s approach of data analysis using open coding was used for the qualitative data while descriptive statistics were used to display participants’ demographic profiles. The findings revealed that participants who developed obstetric fistula usually have prolonged or mismanaged labour, two participants had combined forms of fistula. The participants expressed that they were stigmatized, isolated and the ailment affected all areas of their lives. Half of the participants spouses were miserable and eventually abandoned them. The participants also indicated that fistula repair had positive effects on their lives as they can now attend social and religious gatherings. Participants in the study reported unpleasant experiences that affected all facets of life but fistula repair brought back hope and reasons to live again thereby wiping off their tears of childbirth. Obstetric fistula is preventable and treatable; it is a condition that no one should have to endure. Essential obstetric services should be expanded at the community level to address obstetric fistula through prevention and management.