Factors Associated with Obstetric Fistulae: A Snapshot of District Larkana and Sukkur, Sindh

Shoaibunisa; Kausar Jahan Abro; Hazooran Lakhan; Abdul Saboor Soomro; Shahneela; Mahjabeen

Shoaibunisa Associate Professor Ghulam Mahar Medical College Hospital, Sukkur
Kausar Jahan Abro Consultant Gynecologist Ghulam Mahar Medical College Hospital, Sukkur
Hazooran Lakhan Associate Professor Ghulam Mahar Medical College Hospital, Sukkur
Abdul Saboor Soomro Associate Professor SIUT Sukkur
Shahneela Senior Registrar, Ghulam Mahar Medical College Hospital, Sukkur
Mahjabeen Senior Registrar, Ghulam Mahar Medical College Hospital, Sukkur

Keywords: Prolonged labor, vaginal fistula, early marriage, complicated delivery

Abstract

Objective:To determine the frequency of factors responsible for obstetric fistulae occurrence at Shaikh Zayed Women Hospital (SZWH) Larkana and Civil Hospital Sukkur,Sindh.

Methodology: This descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out in Obstetrics and Gynecology department of Shaikh Zayed Women Hospital (SZWH) Larkana and Civil Hospital Sukkur from 2016 to 2018. All the women of reproductive age from 15-45 years with any parity presenting with obstetric fistula followed by delivery in the gynecology/obstetrics department of the hospital were included. Patients were question about the causes of obstetric fistulae. Data collected through personal interviews through a structured proforma. Descriptive analysis was carried out on SPSS version 26.

Results: The mean duration of obstructed labor was 27.96+4.32 hours. There were 67% of cases who suffered delay in getting to a health facility. The mean duration to reach a health facility was 2.73+1.2 hours. Prolonged obstructed labor was seen in 94.5% of the patients. There were 84.9% patients who had late access to delivery services, while 74.0% of patients were away from the health facility.

Conclusion: Prolonged obstructed labor was seen in majority of the patients. There were a majority of patients who also experienced delay in accessing delivery services. Minimizing this delay requires community and pregnant women's knowledge of the significance of prompt health facility delivery and pregnancy hazard symptoms.