Over the last few years I’ve periodically received letters from the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital, detailing the incredible healing work they do for the women of Ethiopia. This is a brief explanation of fistula and the wonderful people caring for the young women of Ethiopia.
It is estimated that throughout the world, one woman in every twenty will have difficulty in childbirth. In the 19th Century, the death of both mother and child was not uncommon.
Modern medical care and treatment, with easy access to Hospitals and doctors, has eliminated this threat in our western civilisation.
But this is not so in developing countries. The joy of parenthood is frequently marred in the aftermath of obstructed labour. Days in obstructed labour can cause a hole or fistula to the birth passage, the bladder and sometimes the rectum. As a result, the woman leaks urine constantly. She then has an offensive odour. Her husband will leave her and her family and friends will avoid her.
Many a young girl with fistula injuries has suffered a fate worse than death, experiencing a life of rejection, separation, loneliness and "shame".
In 1959, two Australian doctors Reg and Catherine Hamlin, went to Ethiopia to train midwives. Seeing the plight of these poor women, they became determined to help them.
They developed a delicate surgical technique that, in most cases, will result in a complete cure. Then they built the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital. Since then more than 30,000 women have been treated and cured. The Hospital now trains doctors from other developing countries. The effect of their work is spreading world-wide, restoring new life and dignity of thousands of young women.
Every time I read one of the stories of the young women that are cared for at the Hospital, I end up crying all over myself. We are so lucky to live in a country where we have immediate access to medical care when we need it, and particularly for those women who do have genuine difficulty in childbirth.
I will be donating a percentage of all my Doula earnings to the Fistula Hospital, in that way all my clients will be a part of supporting these young women (most of them teenagers) and helping them to regain a life of dignity.
For more information on the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital, and to read some of the stories, go to www.fistulatrust.org . I hope it impacts you as much as it has me.
(Fistula is really only an issue in third world countries, where healthy diet, good sanitation and education are not available for everyone. Most of the people affected are not women, but young teens and girls, far too young to be birthing, but in a culture and society where early marriage and therefore motherhood is common.)
Welcome to My Blog!!
"So what do you do?" "I'm a Doula." "(pause) What's that?"
This is the usual response I get from people when I'm asked about my work. Every hundred or so people I get the "Oh really? That's great", and I nearly fall over in surprise that they know what it is!
Doula's are still a fairly new breed within Australia, and even newer in SA, so it's a bit of an uphill battle to educate people about who we are and what we do, particularly as the period of time that someone needs us is relatively short, but we're getting there.
I absolutely love my job. Supporting women and their husbands or partners during the most significant time of their lives is an incredible privilege, one I do not take lightly. I have toyed with the idea of midwifery, but for me, I am far more interested in supporting a woman to have the most magnificent birth experience she can have, than in worrying about the clinical side of things. I want to be there to support women and their families on an emotional, mental and spiritual level, to "hold the space", as I watch a woman transform into a mother. What can be more beautiful than that!
I hope you enjoy my blog. There will be plenty of joy, some helpful tips for those on the journey toward parenthood, and lots of things that inspire me as a woman, wife, mother, Doula and friend! Welcome!!
This is the usual response I get from people when I'm asked about my work. Every hundred or so people I get the "Oh really? That's great", and I nearly fall over in surprise that they know what it is!
Doula's are still a fairly new breed within Australia, and even newer in SA, so it's a bit of an uphill battle to educate people about who we are and what we do, particularly as the period of time that someone needs us is relatively short, but we're getting there.
I absolutely love my job. Supporting women and their husbands or partners during the most significant time of their lives is an incredible privilege, one I do not take lightly. I have toyed with the idea of midwifery, but for me, I am far more interested in supporting a woman to have the most magnificent birth experience she can have, than in worrying about the clinical side of things. I want to be there to support women and their families on an emotional, mental and spiritual level, to "hold the space", as I watch a woman transform into a mother. What can be more beautiful than that!
I hope you enjoy my blog. There will be plenty of joy, some helpful tips for those on the journey toward parenthood, and lots of things that inspire me as a woman, wife, mother, Doula and friend! Welcome!!
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7 comments:
It has been found that better diet, antenatal education and sanitation have brought the greatest improvements in maternity services and not really modern obstetrics.
Fistula's are only now found in countries where there is little or not nutrition, the average age of pregnancy is extremely young hb is less than half a healthy woman should have. The book the Hospital by the River is amazing and Catherine Hamilin spoke here is SA just a few months ago.
Yay my first comment!!!! Thanks Lisa!!
Your absolutely right, it's been the lifestyle changes rather than obstetrics that have improved the health of mothers and babies worldwide.
I've been wondering how much lower the percentages of true CPD would be in developed countries, where we don't have the problems of diet, sanitation etc as in the 3rd world. I'd love to find out, as I bet it's even lower than 5%.
I think that is a great cause to advocate for. I will send them a check.
Lisa I respectfully disagree. Fistulas are from prolonged labor and a mechanical problem. Yes, there is a correlation of fistulas in these conditions but I do not think there is a study out there that will back up causation. And if there is, I am listening.
I also must point out that it was two obstetricions who started this wonderful program. So I have to give them both a bow.
Pinky, they are Australian too!!. I have heard both Catherin Hamlin and her current registrar speak they are amazing people. Some of the women been taught the technique of the repair and carry out the surgery. Sharing of the knowledge with no possession. That is part of what makes them so amazing.
The root causes of fistula are grinding poverty and the low status of women and girls. In Ethiopia, the poverty and malnutrition in children contributes to the condition of stunting, where the girl skeleton, and therefore pelvis as well, do not fully mature. This stunted condition can contribute to obstructed labor, and therefore fistula.
But, fistula is both preventable and treatable. The Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital has treated over 30,000 women over 33 years. Their cure rate is over 90%. Fistula can be prevented if laboring women are provided with adequate emergency obstetric care when complications arise.
This is taken from http://www.fistulafoundation.org Hamlins site.
"Fistula can be prevented if laboring women are provided with adequate emergency obstetric care when complications arise."
I agree with this statement.
MY question then because perhaps I misunderstood, was that fistuals would not happen in a person who had a good diet, education and sanitary environment. ANd I think they would if we did not intervene in some labors. However, we do intervene when the baby won't come out.
I also agree that a woman who is not mature has an immature pelvis has an increase of obstructed labor.
I think that worldwide OB's have helped save the lives of many babies and Women so have Midwifes. Shoulder dystocia's do not take care of themselves.
Look at Birdies Mama's blog. She had her baby and was able to labor as a Vbac. She did not progress. When they opened her up they noticed a Bandles ring. With a bandles ring you cannot birth vaginally. The Obstetrician whom she felt comfortable with helped her achieve a successful birth. Had she been left to continue to labor both Mother and Baby would die.
I have just finished reading Catherine Hamlin's book "Hospital by the river" in the same week my heart presented with some issues and needed stents in 2 coronary arteries. Wow what a wonderful story, I just looked on the net to see if dear Catherine was still with us, as she tells it she is/was 77 at time of writing her book. I was overjoyed to find that she spoke to you Lisa, in South Australia just a few months ago.
Reading or finishing the book at the same time as the lifechanging discovery of heart problems in a bullet proof Aussie male really made me vulnerable to sudden urges like wanting to help in addressing this problem in some way. It sounds as though I'm not the only one touched by the plight of these women and your comments about improved living conditions in the longer term for prevention. I would also like to contact Catherine to see where she is up to in her quest to create a sufficiently large enough investment trust to allow the hospital to continue and to to know how the other projects like progress on the hostel for those that can't be fully repaired.
Your comments on prevention by moving out of the malnutrition/ poverty trap are insightful. Broadly speaking I have an idea or hope that the mining companies who are making profits from various countries on the African continent would be very appropriate benefactors if an approach can be successful. I would be interested in exploring this and where money would be best channeled to attack the problems nearer the origin as you are intimating.
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