Overview
A vaginal fistula is an abnormal connection or opening that develops between your vaginal wall and a nearby organ. Most often, they develop between your vagina and an organ in your urinary system or in your digestive system. They most often occur due to damage to your vaginal tissue from things like childbirth, surgery, injury or infection.
What are genitourinary vaginal fistulas?
Genitourinary vaginal fistula is a term to describe a fistula that forms between your vagina or uterus and organs in your urinary system. The most common type is a vesicovaginal fistula, where an opening develops between your vagina and bladder (the organ that holds your pee).
Genitourinary vaginal fistulas also include:
- Ureterovaginal fistulas between your vagina and ureters, the tubes that carry pee from your kidneys to your bladder.
- Urethrovaginal fistulas between your vagina and urethra, the tube that carries pee from your bladder out of your body.
What are other types of vaginal fistulas?
Fistulas can also form between your vagina and digestive system organs. These include:
- Rectovaginal fistulas between your vagina and rectum, the tube that sends poop (stool) through your anus (butthole) and out of your body.
- Colovaginal fistulas between your vagina and large intestine (colon).
- Enterovaginal fistulas between your vagina and small intestine.
How common are vaginal fistulas?
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 50,000 to 100,000 people assigned female at birth (AFAB) worldwide develop vaginal fistulas every year.
The condition is more common among people who live in countries with limited medical resources. For example, in some parts of the world, people spend days in childbirth. Pressure from the fetus pushing against the vaginal wall during delivery can cut off the blood supply to vaginal tissues, leading to a fistula.
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