Journal of Women's Health Care
Open Access

Abstract

Retrospective Study of Obstetric Fistula among Clients Admitted To Fistula Unit Jimma University Specialized Hospital, Oromia Region, South West Ethiopia

Nahom Zegeye and Tesfaye Dagne

Background: Obstetric fistula is an injury that occurs during prolonged and obstructed labor causing tissue damage to organs inside the pelvis and result in urinary and fecal incontinence or both. It remains a major public health problem in areas where unattended obstructed labor is common.
Objective: To assess obstetric fistula among women admitted to Jimma University Specialized Teaching Hospital (JUSH), Gynecology ward.
Methods: Hospital based one year retrospective study was conducted in JUSH from September 03, 2016 to September 15, 2016. A total of 93 patients were admitted to JUSTH fistula unit from September 11, 2014 to September 10, 2015 out of which 86 patients were included in the study because of lost chart and incomplete documentation. The data was collected using structured questionnaire. The cards of patients were collected from Gynecology ward with fifth year five medicine students. Then the data was summarized and analyzed using SPSS software, result is displayed using graphs and texts.
Result: A total of 86 patients chart who were admitted to fistula unit of JUSH from September 11, 2014 to September 10, 2015 were included in this study. Out of this 68 (79.1%) developed Vesico-vaginal fistula (VVF), 13 (15.1%) developed Recto vaginal fistula (RVF) and 5.8% developed Recto vesico-vaginal fistula (RVVF). Majority of the respondents were from rural area and 65.1% of them were illiterate. Most of the patients were in the age group of 18 to 24 years, 65.1% of them were primparous and 60.5% had no regular antenatal care follow-up. About 61.6% of the obstetric fistula cases were due to obstructed labor followed by prolonged labor accounting for 34.9%.
Conclusion and Recommendation: Most of the women with obstetric fistula are from rural areas and are illiterate so efforts should be made to increase educational status especially in rural areas so that to improve maternal and child health.