Healthcare seeking behaviour for Obstetric fistula and its determinant factors in Sub-Saharan Africa: Systematic review and meta-analysis protocol

Obstetric fistula is an abnormal communication between vagina and adjacent tubular structures; usually bladder and rectum. Unless timely and effective treatment is not given, women with fistula face lifetime embarrassment, isolation, social stigmatization and marital separation. Although early detection and management of obstetric fistula often result in improved treatment outcomes, majority of women do not have access to care either due to the cost involved, stigma or lack of awareness. This study aims to determine the pooled prevalence and its predictors of healthcare seeking for obstetric fistula in the sub-Saharan Africa. This systematic review and meta-analysis will be done by following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guideline. PubMed, Cochrane Library, Google Scholar and grey literatures will be used to search eligible articles. The quality of studies will be assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) critical appraisal checklist. All studies about obstetric fistula care seeking conducted in English, from 2015 to 2025, and in the SSA will be included. The required data will be extracted from each article by using Microsoft Excel 2016 and exported to STATA version 16. Forest plot and I 2 statistics will be done for heterogeneity. A funnel plot and Egger’s regression test will be conducted to check for publication bias. Subgroup analysis and meta regression analysis will be done to identify potential sources of bias. The review will be conducted based on the published articles, and it does not require ethical approval. The results will be disseminated through publication in peer reviewed journal and may present in conferences. PROSPERO registration number: CRD420251127679