A gynecologist from the Department of Obstetrics of the Teaching Hospital of the University of Modibbo Adamawa, Dr. Sunday Pius, which obstetric, a tragic condition that affects young women in Adamawa.
Dr. Sunday Pius, who is also the medical director of Khaya Clinic and Maternity, raised serious concerns in an interview about the continuous prevalence of the obstetric fistula in Nigeria, particularly among adolescents in the northern region.
The medical director declared that the condition is mainly caused by early marriage, inadequate maternal care and low access to education and reproductive health services.
By pointing out that “teenage pregnancy is one of the main causes of obstetric fistula,” he explained: “When the body of a girl, especially the pelvis, is not fully developed for childbirth, the work is extended and obstruct. This pressure can cause a hole between the channel and the bladder or the rectum or the rectum, which results in fistula.”
While younger women are the most affected, Dr. Pius added that older women with complicated or prolonged work can also develop fistula, especially those with spinal deformities or cephalopélvica disproportion.
He stressed that the condition is disproportionately common in northern Nigeria, where early marriage and limited access to qualified motherhood care persist.
“Of every 1,000 deliveries in the north, two or three result in an obstetric fistula. Although specific data for the state of Adamawa is missing, we continue to see many active cases in treatment,” he said.
The consequences are of great reach. “Women with fistula often face divorce, social exclusion and economic difficulties, and many are isolated from their communities due to incontinence and smell.
“They suffer depression, lose access to education and live with stigma that affects all aspects of their lives.”
According to him, prevention must be multifaceted. “The most powerful tool we have is the education of girls and boys.
“An educated girl knows when to marry, the importance of prenatal care and where to look for qualified delivery services,” said Dr. Pius.
He said that education equips girls with confidence and knowledge to make informed health decisions while highlighting family planning as a critical preventive measure.
“Access to family planning allows women to space pregnancies and avoid early or high -risk pregnancies. It gives them control over their reproductive health and helps reduce the possibilities of complications such as obstetric fistula.”
Dr. Pius concluded with a call to action: “When you educate a girl, you educate a nation.”
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