Uganda Links Teenage Pregnancies to Rising Fistula Cases

Kampala, April 19, 2026 - Uganda’s Ministry of Health has attributed the continued rise in obstetric fistula cases to high teenage pregnancy rates and delays in accessing emergency obstetric care, warning that most of the complications are preventable with timely medical intervention.

Commissioner for Maternal and Child Health Richard Mugahi said one in four pregnant women in Uganda is a teenager, with some as young as 12 to 14 years old, a trend he linked directly to increased childbirth complications.

“These are young girls whose bodies are not yet ready to carry a pregnancy, and this leads to complications like fistula, death of the baby, or even the mother,” Mugahi said.

Obstetric fistula, a severe childbirth injury caused by prolonged or obstructed labour, remains a significant health challenge in underserved communities, often leaving survivors with long-term physical and social consequences.

Mugahi noted that limited access to sexual and reproductive health information is a key driver of early pregnancies, calling for stronger education and awareness programs targeting adolescents.

Beyond social factors, he also highlighted systemic gaps in the health system, particularly delays in referring mothers with complications from lower-level facilities to higher-level care centres. He warned that such delays often result in life-threatening conditions, including uterine rupture, fistula, or death.

In response, the government-working with the United Nations Population Fund and the Government of Iceland-is scaling up maternal health interventions in high-burden regions.

These include the construction of a Health Centre IV in Namayingo District, recruitment of additional health workers, improved medical equipment supply, and enhanced training for emergency obstetric care.

The programme also supports surgical repair for fistula survivors and provides reintegration support, including income-generating activities aimed at helping affected women rebuild their lives.

“Addressing both the social drivers and the health system gaps is critical if we are to eliminate fistula in Uganda,” Mugahi said.

The initiative was formalized during a signing ceremony in Kampala involving Iceland’s Head of Mission Hildigunnur Engilbertsdóttir and Kristine Blokhus.

The programme will focus on regions including Acholi, West Nile, Bukedi, Karamoja, and Busoga, targeting improvements in adolescent health education, reproductive health services, and response mechanisms for gender-based violence.

Engilbertsdóttir described obstetric fistula as both a public health and human rights issue, emphasizing that it reflects broader gaps in health system capacity.

“Fistula happens when a health system lacks the capacity to meet the full spectrum of reproductive health needs of women and girls. It is a human rights and gender equality issue,” she said.

Officials say the combined interventions are expected to strengthen maternal healthcare delivery, reduce preventable injuries, and improve outcomes for vulnerable women and girls across Uganda.