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Absence and reliance: Liberian women's experience of vaginal fistula

Absence and reliance: Liberian women's experience of vaginal fistula Childbirth entails considerable risk in developing countries. A prolonged labour process can cause the woman sustained injuries and lead to the death of the unborn child. Many women in africa suffer from vaginal fistulas, causing a constant leakage of urine and/or faeces. The aim of this study was to explore and describe women's experiences of living with fistulas and how the condition affects their daily life. An ethnographic-inspired design involving observation, group- and individual conversations, was carried out at a gynaecological ward at a rural hospital in Liberia with 14 women. The reflexive analysis during fieldwork revealed two main themes in the women's experiences: absence and reliance. The results demonstrate that the women felt a loss of control over a perceived traumatic birth, loss of the dead child, loss of status as a woman and wife and loss of social fellowship. They also felt a loss of self-confidence. In contrast, the women relied on their belief and trust in God to help them with the difficult situation. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png African Journal of Midwifery and Women's Health Mark Allen Group

Absence and reliance: Liberian women's experience of vaginal fistula

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Publisher
Mark Allen Group
Copyright
Copyright © 2012 MA Healthcare Limited
ISSN
1759-7374
eISSN
2052-4293
DOI
10.12968/ajmw.2012.6.1.28
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Childbirth entails considerable risk in developing countries. A prolonged labour process can cause the woman sustained injuries and lead to the death of the unborn child. Many women in africa suffer from vaginal fistulas, causing a constant leakage of urine and/or faeces. The aim of this study was to explore and describe women's experiences of living with fistulas and how the condition affects their daily life. An ethnographic-inspired design involving observation, group- and individual conversations, was carried out at a gynaecological ward at a rural hospital in Liberia with 14 women. The reflexive analysis during fieldwork revealed two main themes in the women's experiences: absence and reliance. The results demonstrate that the women felt a loss of control over a perceived traumatic birth, loss of the dead child, loss of status as a woman and wife and loss of social fellowship. They also felt a loss of self-confidence. In contrast, the women relied on their belief and trust in God to help them with the difficult situation.

Journal

African Journal of Midwifery and Women's Health – Mark Allen Group

Published: Jan 1, 2012

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