Leading Experts Discuss Fistula, Safe Surgery and the Way Forward

By: Kayla McGowan, Project Coordinator, Women and Health Initiative, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Original post can be found on MHTF Blog.  While safe surgical practices can improve maternal health outcomes, surgery can pose its own risks and complications. The Maternal Health Task Force’s Kayla McGowan (KM) had the pleasure of interviewing two leading experts in […]

Remembering a life of service: Sister Maura Lynch, MMM

Authored by Elly Arnoff, FC+ Program Associate for Evaluation and Research. In honor of Dr. Maura Lynch, September 10, 1938 – December 9, 2017.  On December 9 2017, the world lost one of its’ most passionate leaders and dedicated advocates to end obstetric fistula – Sister Dr. Maura Lynch. Dr. Maura will be remembered across the […]

Surgery: A Cure for Fistula, But Also a Cause

Four maternal health experts come together to examine how fistula, while known to be treatable by surgery, is also caused by unsafe surgical techniques, and what the global health community can do about it. Originally published on Dec 27, 2017 on News Deeply.  GIVING BIRTH IN low-resource settings comes with substantial risks to mothers and newborns. Women who […]

First Ladies Move to Eliminate Obstetric Fistula and Protect Child Rights in West Africa

Original report by ECOWAS Niamey, 5 October 2017. First Ladies of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have affirmed their resolve to eliminate obstetric fistula, female genital mutilation, as well as gender-, female- and youth-based violence. The commitment was made at the end of their forum held in Niamey, Niger on 5 October 2017. […]

Bixby Center at UCSF publishes preliminary validation of post-fistula repair reintegration instrument

Article originally published in Reproductive Health (2017) 14:109. Authors: Alison El Ayadi; Hadija Nalubwama; Justus Barageine; Torsten B. Neilands; Susan Obore; Josaphat Byamugisha; Othman Kakaire; Haruna Mwanje; Abner Korn; Felicia Lester; Suellen Miller. Obstetric fistula is a debilitating and traumatic birth injury affecting 2–3 million women globally, mostly in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. Affected women […]