Using interpretive description to facilitate women's contributions to maternity care: experiences and views of obstetric fistula prevention

Background/Aims Interpretive description is a qualitative methodology that combines detailed descriptions with thoughtful interpretation. This approach is especially effective for producing practical insights and deepening the understanding of phenomena in clinical or practice-based settings. The aims of this study were to explore how interpretive description could be used to research the experiences and views of women with obstetric fistula. Methods Interpretive description was used to explore the experiences and views of 15 purposively selected women affected by obstetric fistula. Participants were recruited via the Evangel Vesico Vaginal Fistula Centre of Bingham University Teaching Hospital. Data were collected via in-depth interviews and concurrently analysed thematically. Results Interpretive description provided women with a unique opportunity to share their experiences of the causes and avoidable risk factors of obstetric fistula. The approach yielded qualitative findings and allowed for the representation of different views, leading to an understanding of how to mitigate obstetric fistula in the community. Conclusions Interpretive description was used to listen to the voices of women affected by obstetric fistula, learn from their experiences and highlight the interventions that may alter risk factors for the condition in the community. This is the first study to use interpretive description to facilitate under-represented women's contributions to maternity care by listening to their experiences and views. This enabled identification of gaps in maternity care provision, which would be of interest to the community and health service leaders as well as policymakers in sub-Saharan Africa. Implications for practice Interpretive description allows for deep capture of women's perspectives, allowing implementation of interventions designed to target issues as perceived by those most affected. This also ensures that under-represented groups are included in the research process.