Objective

Obstetric fistula is a significant but neglected health problem faced by women in the developing world. Epidemiologic studies examining the determinants of obstetric fistula in Afghan women are currently lacking. Therefore, this study examined the reproductive, sociodemographic, and geographic factors associated with obstetric fistula in women in Afghanistan.

Methods

This cross-sectional study used data from a nationally representative sample of women collected through the Afghanistan Demographic and Health Survey 2015. Descriptive and binary and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to estimate the prevalence of obstetric fistula and describe and assess the risk factors associated with the condition.

Results

Among the weighted sample of 29,374 women aged 15-49 years, 2.99% reported having an obstetric fistula. In a multivariable logistic regression analysis, factors associated with women reporting a history of an obstetric fistula included parity, ethnicity, geography, income level, educational attainment, employment outside the home, decider on medical care, and their husband’s education level.

Conclusion

Our findings highlight the multifactorial nature of the determinants of obstetric fistula in Afghan women and underscore the need for multi-disciplinary integrative interventions to address the reproductive, socioeconomic, cultural, and healthcare related factors in reducing the burden of obstetric fistula in women in Afghanistan.