Stories

Case 1

She is a 20 years old young woman from Telemt district, Terewa Keble. Telemet is in Amhara region at the border with Tigray and it is the center of current war zone. She has never been to school. She is illiterate, can’t read and write. She got married at the age of 15 and became pregnant after a few months of her marriage. She claimed that her first pregnancy was uneventful. During her pregnancy she visited the Health Center at Telemt three times. When she reached at term labor started spontaneously and it became prolonged for four days. On the fourth day her husband and relative took her to Telemt Health Center where she gave birth to stillborn baby by After she gave birth to her first baby, Awetu was not able to control her urine. She and her husband thinks it will get better by itself if she eats good food and delay the next pregnancy. They kept this problem secretly and didn’t tell to any one because they think it is not treatable condition. She used contraceptive method for one year to postpone her pregnancy but her urinary incontinence didn’t get better. Later on she stopped the contraceptive and she became pregnant with her second baby while she was still incontinent.

As the first one the second pregnancy was uneventful. She had few visits to the Health Center during her pregnancy but never mentioned about her problem. When she approached her term, she went to her mother who lives in a very remote part of the Telemt Woreda to have the delivery there.

When her pregnancy reached at term she started to have labor spontaneously. She was laboring at home and the progress of her labor was not satisfactory. The first day went and the second day arrived while she was in labor.

Her labor became very intensive but the fetus didn’t come out. She couldn’t go to the Health Center easily because she was staying with her parents in very remote area where the health facility was not accessible. Awetu’s husband became worried and with the help of others she arrived at Telemt health Center with difficulty. On the third day, late in the afternoon she gave birth to an alive baby by assisted instrumental delivery. Awetu and her husband were happy to have an alive baby, at the same time she was worried because her urinary leakage got worse and her cloth became socked with urine now and then. After delivery she left the Health Center without discussing her problem with the midwife who attended her delivery. Awetu stayed in such condition for one year without knowing what to do and that her incontinence problem was treatable, until she met a woman who gets treated when she had the same problem and now became cured.

Finally, Awetu arrived to Gondar Fistula Center and admitted for surgery. Sr Worke, a consultant of fistula at Gondar Fistula Center explained to her about her problem and that she will be operated and become cured. After few days Dr Zelalem did the fistula repair to her and the repair was successful. She had smooth post-operative course and two weeks later the catheter was removed. After suffering with obstetric fistula for three years Awetu became continent and couldn’t believe that her bed was dry now.

When asked how she's doing now, she expressed her joy and looking forward to return back to her village. And she said she wanted to pass on a massage to encourage other pregnant women to get checked out and she said when the delivery approaches it is always good to stay where the health facility is accessible because my husband and relatives suffered a lot to take me to the Health center when I was not able to give birth for three days.

Case 2

She is an 18 years old young woman from Bale zone, Dinsho Woreda Gerenbadima kebele. Like any other country side girls She has never been to school. She is illiterate, can’t read and write. She lost both her parents while she was very young and got married at the age of 17.

She was the second wife for her husband and she was unhappy with her marriage. Her marriage was not successful. It ended up after few months because her husband left her when she became pregnant with her first baby at the age of 17, forcing her to seek help from her brother. At the age of 18, she gave birth to her first child.

Her's pregnancy had gone uneventfully, and she was worried about her future and how she would support her child. When she was nearing the end of her pregnancy, she started labor spontaneously. She claimed that her labor was not easy. She was laboring at home and the progress of her labor was not satisfactory. The first day went and the second day arrived while she was in labor. Her labor became very intensive but the fetus didn’t come out. She claimed that she had strong desire to go to the health center found in the Woreda where she lives, but it was closed and don’t know the reason why it was closed. . Her relative took her to a small private clinic in her village on the third day, where the health professional advised her relatives to transport her to the closest hospital immediately. While her relative were trying to take her to the hospital she notice that the fetal movement has stopped and realized that she lost her baby before it is born.

On the third day, late in the afternoon she went to Robe Hospital. By the time she reached to the Hospital she was weak and exhausted and they told her that she needs surgery to take out the fetus. She had no energy to say anything. Finally, gave birth to stillborn baby by Caesarean Section.

After delivery she became very much depressed. But all what has happened was not enough for her. On the 7th post operation day she notice that her bed was wet and didn’t want to believe that it was urine. She didn’t want to ask her brother who was sitting on the side of her bed. She gathered her strength after a while and collected the rugged closes beneath her to attempt to hide it from her brother. When her brother noticed that she was afraid and ashamed of with what is going on he called the nurse and asked to explain to her about her problem.

The nurse told She that she has a hole between her bladder and Birth canal and can’t control her urine until she is going to have another surgery to close the hole. She started to cry but there was nothing to stop her urine leakage. She stayed in the hospital for two weeks and was discharged with a referral paper to go to the Assela Fistula Center for surgical treatment after three month.

Three months later, She was admitted to the Assela Fistula Center for surgery. On her arrival Birke, a worker at the center spoke with her about her problem and informed her that she would be operated on in a few days, and also told her what she is going to do while she is staying at the center. Fortunately She’s fistula was simple with no scar and had no other complications. Dr. Hussen did the repair and it was successful. She had smooth post-operative course. Two weeks later, she and her brother left Assela Fistula Center, cheerful and wearing her new clothing, to begin a new life.