Obstetric fistula occurs when the pressure of the baby’s head during prolonged and obstructed labour restricts blood flow to areas of tissue within the birth canal; the tissue may die, causing holes to form in it during the period after birth. This results in uncontrollable leakage into the vagina from the bladder or the rectum. At least 75,000 women are estimated to develop fistula every year, and most go untreated. At least two million women are currently living with this debilitating condition worldwide, often rejected by their husbands and communities as a result.
Stella Kawelama is only 21 years old but she has experienced one of the most demeaning medical nightmares any woman could suffer from. For a year, she has been failing to control the flow of urine and faeces from her body due to a medical condition called obstetric fistula.
