Determinants of Recovery From Obstetric Fistula in Ethiopia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

All included studies were retrospective cohorts conducted only in Ethiopia, so the findings may not apply to other health systems or populations. Heterogeneity was very high, with I2 91.2% for the pooled prevalence and I2 values up to 99.3% for some factors, so the pooled estimates are averages across varied settings rather than precise local rates. Recovery was defined as discharge from hospital as recovered, and discharge criteria varied across centres, which could bias outcome assessment. The publication bias test was significant (p 0.03), although the adjustment method added no missing studies. The included studies used different adjusted models, and hazard ratios were assumed comparable despite differences in covariates. The conclusion reports a pooled prevalence of 79.23%, while the main results report 80.42%, creating an internal inconsistency. The study reports associations from observational data, not proof that any nursing, obstetric, or surgical action caused faster recovery.

The authors declared no conflicts of interest and reported nothing to report for funding.

Do not treat the 80.42% recovery prevalence as a benchmark for any one centre, or the associated factors as proven causes. The evidence came from retrospective Ethiopian cohorts with very high heterogeneity and inconsistent discharge definitions.