In the midst of Hurricane Sandy activity last week, it was nice to see the Global Fistula Map—published by Direct Relief, the Fistula Foundation, and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)—cited in the U.N. Secretary-General Report, “Supporting Efforts to End Obstetric Fistula,” presented by UNFPA Deputy Executive Director, Anne-Birgitte Albrectsen, at the United Nations. As the report notes, obstetric fistula
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Chances are, you haven’t heard of obstetric fistula. That’s because American’s haven’t suffered from fistula since the 19th century, when a fistula hospital stood on the site of today’s Waldorf Astoria Hotel in Manhattan. Unfortunately, in developing countries where access to safe childbirth services are limited, an estimated two million women continue to suffer from this devastating condition. Obstetric fistula is primarily caused by prolonged and obstructed labor, when a woman goes for
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