Association between place of delivery, assistance during delivery and fistula occurrence in Afghanistan

BACKGROUND: Obstetric fistula is one of themost serious and devastating childbirth-related injuries women suffer worldwide. This study investigated the association between delivery characteristics and the occurrence of obstetric fistula in Afghanistan. METHODS: The study analysed data from the 2015 Afghanistan Demographic and Health Survey. The association between place of delivery and assistance during delivery with experience of fistula symptoms was investigated by fitting two binary logistic regression models. RESULTS: Findings from this study revealed that 23.4% of the women surveyed ever heard about obstetric fistula and 3% reported symptoms of fistula. Women whose deliveries were assisted by traditional birth attendants were significantly more likely to experience fistula compared with those whose deliveries were assisted by doctors. Similarly, women whose deliveries were assisted by others were significantly more likely to experience fistula compared with women whose deliveries were assisted by doctors. Regarding place of delivery, women whose deliveries took place at a government hospital were less likely to experience fistula compared with those whose deliveries took place at home. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the importance of skilled delivery in reducing the risk for obstetric fistula among women in Afghanistan. Therefore, it is important for the various stakeholders in Afghanistan's healthcare delivery system, including healthcare providers, local authorities and international non-governmental organisations, to collaborate and institute measures that will promote health facility deliveries and improve access to skilled delivery.