***This book is a winner of the British Medical Association's 2007 annual Medical Book Competition. Highly commended in the Obstetrics and Gynaecology category***


This manual is intended to be a practical guide to be read and used at many different levels by many different people, especially health-care professionals and planners, policy-makers and community leaders. Its three main objectives illuminate its wide reach and potential utility. First of all, it strives to draw attention to the urgent issue of obstetric fistula and advocates for change. Secondly, it provides essential, factual background information along with principles for developing fistula prevention and treatment strategies and programmes. Finally, it endeavours to contribute to the development of more effective services for women under treatment for fistula repair.

It is divided into two sections: 1. Understanding the problem and developing, national approach; and 2. Basic principles for caring for women undergoing obstetric fistula repair. It is expected that this manual will be used extensively by countries and partners to implement and scale-up effective programmes for eliminating obstetric fistula.