Tears for My Sisters

Traces the horror of obstetric fistulaa condition that has been largely forgotten in the developed worldand lays out a plan for its eradication. Millions of women suffer from obstetric fistula, a catastrophic childbirth complication that exists today mainly in the worlds poorest countries. Fistulas are created by the prolonged pressure of the fetal head in the birth canal during obstructed labor, which grievously injures a womans bladder, leaving her incontinent. With a fistula, a womans life revolves around futile attempts to control her condition and the stigma associated with it. Abandoned by their loved ones, ostracized from their communities, and cut off from modern surgical care, which can repair fistulas and return patients to full health, these women suffer wretchedly. Based on over 20 years of personal experience with fistula patients in multiple African countries, Dr. L. Lewis Walls Tears for My Sisters describes the ancient history of obstetric fistula, tracing it as far back as ancient Egypt. An expert in repairing obstetric fistula, Dr. Wall explains how these injuries occur and how Western medicine developed the technical capacity to overcome obstructed labor and repair fistulas. Arguing that obstetric fistula results from a general disregard for womens human rights and reproductive health around the globe, he lays bare the obstacles that poor women face in getting emergency obstetric care. Finally, he presents a solution to this problem based on the inspiring story of Drs. Reginald and Catherine Hamlin, who created a hospital system in Ethiopia to care for fistula patients, improve health care, and eradicate these injuries. Providing these women with a much-needed voice, this compassionate book is the first to tell the comprehensive story of this tragic but preventable condition. It is compelling reading for everyone interested in womens health, reproductive rights, the history of medicine, and social justice.