Regina married and conceived in 2000, but attempted to deliver the child at home. The labour was obstructed and finally she gave birth to a still born child, resulting in uncontrollable urine leakage which started a few days later. Her husband became inpatient with Regina not giving him live children and intolerant of her smell caused by the fistula, he decided to marry another wife. After 11 years and 4 miscarriages Regina left her husband and married another man in 2012. In 2014 Regina held a pregnancy to full term and delivered this child normally, however this baby died soon after birth. She heard about the Fistula treatment programme at Selian through the Outreach team’s sensitization campaigns, and was successfully repaired early in 2015.

It was a complete joy that she returned to us later in the year 28 weeks pregnant! Following fistula repair, it is advised that subsequent deliveries be by caesarean section to avoid unnecessary pressure on the on the bladder. We kept Regina in the hospital for the remainder of her pregnancy as she was very high risk, experiencing several complications, until she was delivered by a caesarean section at 37 weeks, which proved to be very complicated operation. She now has a beautiful baby girl, Anna and says “I will keep praying for these doctors and nurses for their great help… I am so happy to be called ‘Mama’ after all these years!