The psycho-social impact of obstetric fistula and available support for women residing in Nigeria: a systematic review

Background: Obstetric fistula continues to affect the social and mental wellbeing of women living in Nigeria giving rise to poor maternal health outcome. While the World Health Organisation (WHO) has recommended the introduction of psycho-social interventions in the management of obstetric fistula women, psycho-social support for women living with obstetric fistula in Nigeria, are limited. This systematic review aimed to synthesise the psycho-social impact of obstetric fistula on women living in Nigeria as well as the available psycho-social support for these affected women. Methods: Following a keyword strategy, Medline, CINAHL, Google scholar, ScienceDirect, Cochrane library, PsychINFO, AMED, British Nursing database, Pubmed central, TRIP database, UK Pubmed central, socINDEX, Annual reviews, ISI Web of Science, Academic search complete, Credo reference, Sage premier and Scopus databases were searched alongside hand searching of articles. The inclusion criteria were set as articles published between 2000 and 2020, on the psychosocial consequences of obstetric fistula in Nigeria. The Critical Appraisal Skills Program (CASP) tool was used to appraise the quality of the included studies. The data was extracted and then analysed using narrative synthesis. Results: 620 relevant citations were identified, and 8 studies were included. Women with obstetric fistula, living in Nigeria were found to be ostracised, abandoned by families and friends, stigmatised and discriminated against, which led to depression, loneliness, loss of self-esteem, self-worth and identity. Psycho-social interventions for women who experienced obstetric fistula are not widely available. Conclusion: There is a need for the introduction of more rehabilitation and reintegration programs across the country. The psychosocial effect of obstetric fistula is significant and should be considered when developing interventions. Further, more research is needed to evaluate the sustainability of psychosocial interventions in Nigeria.