EngenderHealth

Kadiatou had suffered from obstetric fistula, an often life-threatening, but largely preventable condition. It is all too common in the developing world, affecting an estimated more than 2 million girls and women today. For women with fistula, the consequences can be devastating. The baby usually dies during labor, and the mother is left with chronic incontinence, often leading to isolation from family and community life, and neglect or abandonment by male partners. Without surgical repair, a woman’s prospects for work or family support are greatly diminished, and she is often left to rely on charity.