Eliminating Obstetric Fistula in Muslim Communities

Author(s): Aisha Garba Habib

There have been assertions that early marriage is the major factor responsible for obstetric fistula in developing countries and some Muslim majority areas. Consequently, some parts of the western world have been agitating for the promulgation of a law that will specify a minimum age of marriage so as to tackle that issue. Islam allows marriage of girls at minority. The paper attempts to discuss the different factors that lead to obstetric fistula and their relationship to early marriage, finding out that early marriage on its own is not a cause but fistula occurs as a result of an interplay of many factors. It finally discusses the measures that should be taken to reduce or even eliminate fistula in developing countries, especially in Muslim majority areas, where early marriage is permitted and practised.

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