Teenage Pregnancy Worsening Obstetric Fistula Crisis In Nigeria — Gem Hub Initiative

Teenage pregnancy is worsening cases of obstetric fistula in Nigeria, health advocates have warned, citing poor maternal healthcare services and delays in accessing emergency treatment as major factors exposing young women to preventable childbirth injuries.

The warning was issued on Friday by the Nigerian non-governmental organisation, Gem Hub Initiative, as the world marked the International Day to End Obstetric Fistula.

Obstetric fistula is a serious childbirth injury caused mainly by prolonged obstructed labour without timely medical intervention, especially emergency caesarean section services. The condition can leave affected women unable to control urine or faeces and often results in stigma, social isolation and emotional trauma.

Executive Director of Gem Hub Initiative, Oyeyemi Pitan, said Nigeria continues to record a high rate of teenage pregnancy, which remains one of the major underlying causes of obstetric fistula.

According to her, many survivors also lose their babies during labour and are later subjected to rejection, shame and abandonment within their communities.

Health experts have identified teenage pregnancy, child marriage, poverty and poor access to quality maternal healthcare as key drivers of obstetric fistula in Nigeria and other developing countries.

Recent findings from a 2026 study conducted by Johns Hopkins University estimated that about 457,000 women aged between 15 and 64 were living with obstetric fistula globally in 2020, although advocates say Nigeria remains among countries with a significant burden of the condition.

Gem Hub Initiative called for increased investment in adolescent health programmes, improved maternal healthcare systems and faster access to emergency obstetric care as part of efforts to eliminate obstetric fistula by 2030.