Table 3 Fistula-like symptoms and related characteristics reported by the study participants attending Screenings in Kebbi State and Cross River State (N = 79)

Duration of the symptoms

 Within the last 12 months

12 (24.0)

3 (10.3)

15 (19.0)

 1–5 years

15 (30.0)

10 (34.5)

25 (31.7)

 More than 5 years

23 (46.0)

16 (55.2)

39 (49.3)

Precipitating event

 After delivery

37 (80.4)

19 (73.1)

56 (77.8)

 After some kind of illness

5 (10.9)

4 (15.4)

9 (12.5)

 Spontaneous/Congenital

2 (4.3)

1 (3.8)

3 (4.2)

 During pregnancy

2 (4.3)

0 (0.0)

2 (2.8)

 After an operation

0 (0.0)

1 (3.8)

1 (1.4)

 Don’t know

0 (0.0)

1(3.8)

1(1.4)

Delivery

 Normal labor/delivery

4 (10.8)

2 (10.5)

6 (10.7)

 Difficult labor/delivery

33 (89.2)

17 (89.5)

50 (89.3)

Delivery Location

 Home

10 (27.0)

4 (21.1)

14 (25.0)

 Hospital

27 (73.0)

15 (78.9)

42 (75.0)

Arrival time at the facility after onset of labor

 <12 hours

3 (11.1)

4 (26.7)

7 (16.7)

 12–24 hours

13 (48.2)

5 (33.3)

18 (42.9)

 >24 hours

10 (37.0)

6 (40.0)

16 (38.1)

 Don’t know

1 (3.7)

0 (0)

1 (2.3)

C-Section

 No

12 (44.4)

3 (20.0)

15 (35.7)

 Yes

15 (55.6)

12 (80.0)

27 (64.3)

Stillbirth

 No

6 (16.2)

5 (26.3)

11 (19.6)

 Yes

31 (83.8)

14 (73.7)

45 (80.4)

Treatment seeking for fistula-like symptoms

 No

10 (20.0)

9 (31.0)

19 (24.1)

 Yes

40 (80.0)

20 (69.0)

60 (75.9)

Last treatment sought from

 Health care provider

30 (75)

18 (90.0)

48 (80.0)

 Untrained providers

10 (25)

2 (10.0)

12 (20.0)

Success after the latest treatment

 Yes, no more leakage at all

1 (2.5)

3 (15.0)

4 (6.7)

 Yes, but still some leakage**

19 (47.5)

4 (20.0)

23 (38.3)

 Still have problem***

20 (50.0)

13 (65.0)

34 (55.0)