Nigeria – Background
Population: 148,071,000
Population Growth Rate: 2.5%
Total Fertility Rate: 5.9
Literacy Rate – Female – Ages 15-24, 2000-04: 87%
Literacy Rate – Male – Ages 15-24, 2000-04: 91%
GDP Per Capita: $1,770 (2007)
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate: 3.1% (2007)
*Statistics are from Population Reference Bureau’s website (www.prb.org).
UNFPA estimates that between 100,000 and 1 million women in Nigeria suffer from an untreated medical condition called obstetric fistula. This is a condition resulting from damage to vaginal tissue caused by prolonged and obstructed labor, labor without skilled assistance, multiple pregnancies particularly in younger girls, violent rape, or female genital mutilation/cutting.
There are a variety of reasons why so many Nigerian women suffer from fistula. One reason is that it is common for women to deliver their children at home; in fact, 58% of women are not attended to at all during labor and delivery. This makes the delivery process more open to complications. In addition, FGM is widespread. In the south and central regions of Nigeria, one in four women aged 15 to 49 reported that they had undergone FGM.
The effects of fistula can include nerve paralysis and stillbirth pregnancies. The prolonged labor – often for days without treatment – results in a hole in the vagina or rectum. Because the fistula leaves women leaking urine or feces (or both), it often results in social isolation and depression. Women who suffer from this condition are often rejected by their husbands and cast out of their communities. If left untreated, fistula can lead to chronic health problems. Perhaps the most tragic aspect of fistula is that it can be repaired with fairly minor surgery, after which women are able to return to their normal lives and often have future pregnancies without added complications. However, many of these women are not aware that there is a cure for this condition, or do not have access to these medical services.
