What Is Fistula?

An obstetric fistula is a hole between the vagina and rectum or bladder that is
caused by prolonged obstructed labor, leaving a woman incontinent of urine or feces
or both.

For women with obstructed labor, labor that goes unattended, the labor can last up
to six or seven days. The labor produces contractions that push the babys head
against the mothers pelvic bone. The soft tissues between the babys head and the
pelvic bone are compressed and do not receive adequate blood flow. The lack of
blood flow causes this delicate tissue to die, and where it dies holes are created
between the laboring mothers bladder and vagina and/or between the rectum and
vagina. This is what produces incontinence in a fistula patient.