Abstract

Obstetric Fistula is widely debated in the literature, but little is known about pregnant women's perceptions of the condition. This paper was aimed at identifying the level of enlightenment of pregnant women in a medical institution in Ilesha, Nigeria, regarding the risk factors and causes of obstetric fistula

This was a facility-based cross-sectional study conducted among 570 pregnant women attending antenatal clinics at the Wesley Guild Hospital, Ilesha, between January 2023 and February 2025. Statistical Software Package (STATA) version 18 was used for analysis. Tables were used to present descriptive data as percentages. Chi-square and parallel multivariate logistic regression were used to identify the factors associated with obstetric fistula knowledge. The level of significance was p<0.05, with a 95% CI.

The majority of research participants (65.2%) were between the ages of 18 and 23, and 37.4% had no formal education. The study found that 16.7% of respondents had good knowledge of obstetric fistula. Poor knowledge of obstetric fistula showed a significant association with younger age (p < 0.001) and lower educational status [aOR = 8.55; p < 0.001; 95% CI (2.83-25.81)].

The participants in the study had limited knowledge regarding obstetric fistulas. The study found significant associations between age and education with knowledge of obstetric fistula. Thus, there must be a broad campaign to raise awareness of obstetric fistulas and encourage girls' education.

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