Background: The increasing incidence of obstetric vesicovaginal fistula (OVVF) in
Nigeria has justified the need for continued exploration of ways to prevent the
occurrence of this debilitating maternal morbidity. Aim: The study set out to gain
insight into the rural people’s perception about the cause and treatment of obstetric
fistula using focus-group discussions. Materials and Methods: A series of focusgroup
discussion sessions were held with the local people of obstetric fistulaprevalent
areas of northern Nigeria during a medical outreach. Results: Most
(74.9%) of the participants had no formal education, while the majority (62.0%) of
them were married at the time of the study. Most of the healthy females and a few
male participants believed OVVF was a punishment from the gods to affected
women for their infidelity. The majority of the men believed VVF resulted from
unforeseen natural forces during childbirth. The majority of the women with obstetric
fistula believed their condition either resulted from the effect of a poison from the
skull bone of the dead macerated fetus that they were delivered of or from the
manipulation of the Traditional Birth Attendants (TBA) while trying to deliver the dead
fetus from their birth canal. On the possible treatment for VVF, the majority of the
men in the study population and a few healthy women believed VVF had no cure. All
the women awaiting repair of their VVF believed the condition could be corrected in
the hospital. A few of the healthy women posited that OVVF could be treated with
herbal products by experienced TBAs. Conclusion: There is a high level of
misconception about the aetiopathogenesis of OVVF in rural areas of northern
Nigeria. This calls for continued enlightenment of the populace on the cause and
treatment of obstetric vesicovaginal fistula.