I never knew what obstetric fistula was until The Breast Cancer Site started to run a campaign to help women with this terrifying condition. In fact, I’d never heard of the disease, period. Obstetric fistula, for anyone else who is unfamiliar with the condition, is the development of a fistula, or hole, between the rectum and vagina or the bladder and the vagina. It can happen after a woman undergoes a very hard childbirth. Poorly orchestrated abortions, female genital mutilation, and pelvic fractures may also cause the condition.

Obstetric fistula can lead to severe medical complications such as infections, paralysis, incontinence, and even death. Women with obstetric fistula also often face a social stigma against them due to perceptions about the condition—such as odor and dirtiness.

It’s life-threatening, and it affects millions of pregnant women. The condition used to be prevalent all over the world, but as medical advances were made in obstetrics in developed nations, it became an uncommon disease. According to the World Health Organization, between 50,000 and 100,000 develop the illness every year, and most women who are affected live in developing nations such as Afghanistan, Nepal, and many countries in Africa.

The thing is, it’s also not only treatable, but highly preventable. If women were simply provided with adequate care and health services, they could largely avoid this crippling condition. With a properly-monitored pregnancy by a licensed OB/GYN or other health care provider, good nutrition, and complete care during and after the pregnancy, a safe delivery of the baby and the mother’s health can both be vastly improved.

Right now, there is a house bill (H.R. 5441) called The Obstetric Fistula Prevention, Treatment, Hope, and Dignity Restoration Act of 2010. If passed, this important legislation would call for access to medical treatment and fistula prevention methods to be implemented all across the globe, helping to prevent the unnecessary deaths of women and their children. Women would be provided with assistance in recovering from their pregnancies, helping to ensure that their bodies fully heal after delivery.

Please sign this petition today urging your support for this important bill. These women and their families need your voice to ensure that they receive the same medical advances that we are lucky to have access to in our own country. Please also consider sharing the petition and helping raise both awareness for the condition as well as support for the women who suffer from it.