Living With Obstetric Fistula: Qualitative Research Findings from Bangladesh and the Democratic Republic of Congo

Few studies have examined what the social consequences are for women with fistula or how the broader social structure in which these women live affects the way they are treated. In this regard, qualitative research was carried out in the countries of Bangladesh and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to examine the lives of women suffering from fistula, including the physical and social consequences associated with the condition and attempts to obtain care. This brief describes the experiences of these women living in two very different sociocultural contexts.