Symptoms of<unk>  include: * Flatulence, urinary incontinence, or fecal incontinence, which may be continual or only happen at night * Foul-smelling vaginal discharge * Repeated vaginal or urinary tract infections * Irritation or pain in the vagina or surrounding areas * Pain during sexual activity Other effects of<unk> e include stillborn babies due to prolonged labor, which happens 85% to 100% of the time, severe ulcerations of the vaginal tract, "foot drop", which is the paralysis of the lower limbs caused by nerve damage, making it impossible for women to walk, infection of the<unk>  forming an abscess, and up to two-thirds of the women become amenorrhoeic.<unk> e have far-reaching physical, social, economic, and psychological consequences for the women affected. According to UNFPA, "Due to the prolonged obstructed labour, the baby almost inevitably dies, and the woman is left with chronic incontinence. Unable to control the flow of urine or faeces, or both, she may be abandoned by her husband and family and ostracized by her community. Without treatment, her prospects for work and family life are virtually nonexistent." Physical The most direct consequence of an<unk>  is the constant leakage of urine, feces, and blood as a result of a hole that forms between the vagina and bladder or rectum. This leaking has both physical and societal penalties. The acid in the urine, feces, and blood causes severe burn wounds on the legs from the continuous dripping. Nerve damage that can result from the leaking can cause women to struggle with walking and eventually lose mobility. In an attempt to avoid the dripping, women limit their intake of water and liquid, which can ultimately lead to dangerous cases of dehydration. Ulceration and infections can persist, as well as kidney disease and kidney failure, which can each lead to death. Further, only a quarter of women who suffer a<unk>  in their first birth are able to have a living baby, and therefore have minuscule chances of conceiving a healthy baby later on. Some women, due to<unk> e and other complications from childbirth, do not survive. Social Physical consequences of<unk> e lead to severe sociocultural stigmatization for various reasons. For example, in Burkina Faso, most citizens do not believe an<unk>  to be a medical condition, but as a divine punishment or a curse for disloyal or disrespectful behavior. Other sub-Saharan cultures view offspring as an indicator of a family's wealth. A woman who is unable to successfully produce children as assets for her family is believed to make her and her family socially and economically inferior. A patient's incontinence and pain also render her unable to perform household chores and childrearing as a wife and as a mother, thus devaluing her. Other misconceptions about<unk> e are that they are caused by venereal diseases or are divine punishment for sexual misconduct. As a result, many girls are divorced or abandoned by their husbands and partners, disowned by family, ridiculed by friends, and even isolated by health workers. Divorce rates for women who suffer from an<unk>  range from 50% to as high as 89%. Now marginalized members of society, girls are forced to live on the edges of their villages and towns, often in isolation in a hut where they will likely die from starvation or an infection in the birth canal. The unavoidable odor is viewed as offensive, thus their removal from society is seen as essential. Accounts of women who suffer<unk> e proclaim that their lives have been reduced to the leaking of urine, feces, and blood because they are no longer capable or allowed to participate in traditional activities, including the duties of wife and mother. Because such consequences highly stigmatize and marginalize the woman, the intense loneliness and shame can lead to clinical depression and suicidal thoughts. Some women have formed small groups and resorted to walking to seek medical help, where their characteristic odor makes them a target for sub-Saharan predatory wildlife, further endangering their lives. This trip can take on average 12 hours to complete. Moreover, women are sometimes forced to turn to commercial sex work as a means of survival because the extreme poverty and social isolation that result from<unk> e eliminate all other income opportunities. With only 7.5% of women with<unk> e able to access treatment, the vast majority of women end up with the consequences of obstructed and prolonged labor simply because options and access to help is so limited. Psychological Some common psychological consequences that women with a<unk>  face are the despair from losing their child, the humiliation from their smell, and inability to perform their family roles. Additionally, a fear of developing another<unk>  in future pregnancies exists.<unk>  is not only debilitating physically, but emotionally. A woman is presented with an array of psychological trauma that she must oftentimes deal with herself unless provided with ample resources. Oftentimes ostracized by her community, a woman with<unk>  tends to face these issues on her own. In a study of The lived experience of Malawian women with<unk> , the immense psychological trauma is addressed: "For these women, internalizing this constant struggle leads to psychological morbidity." It was striking how many women discussed constant sadness and giving up hope in their interviews." Although the psychological impacts center around the woman experiencing the<unk> , others around them, and especially loved ones, feel the impact as well. The same study references this: "This attitude was often shared by their family members, both husbands and female relatives." Women with<unk>  face severe mental health issues. Among women with<unk>  from Bangladesh and Ethiopia 97% screened positive for potential mental health dysfunctions and about 30% had major depression.
Obstetric fistula
Lymphocele
Vaginal stenosis
Vesicouterine fistula
Urethrovaginal fistula
Cystocele
Uterine prolapse
Urogenital fistula