Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title: "The sun keeps rising but darkness surrounds us": a quali tative exploration of the lived 
experiences of women with obstetric fistula in Ethiopia  
 
Version: 3 Date: 19 Oct 2017  
 
Reviewer: Solina Richter  
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
Dear authors  
 
 
 
I have enjoyed reading your paper.  Obstetric fistula is one of the obstetrical morbidities tha t 
does drw enough attention although a highly preventable condition.  I am taking the liberty of 
making some recommendations to improve the quality of your manuscript.   
 
 
First I need more information on the methodology and methods used.  You will see I hav e made 
a few remarks in the text. I need information on the inclusion and exclusion criteria used to select 
participants.  I need more information on the language in which the study was conducted.  I 
assume it was not English?  if true, please add informat ion on the translation method you used to 
ensure the quality of the translation.  I need more information on the data analysis; what type of 
analysis did you used.  I do not agree with the study design.  A phenomenological study is 
usually very philosophic al and have a very specific way of analysing the data depending on 
who's philosophers work you are using.  This reads much more like a generic qualitative 
descriptive study. You background literature reads like a summary of previous studies rather than 
a well developed synthesis that highly the knowledge available and the gaps that exists in current 
literature on obstetrical fistulas. Make sure that you include a research question or clearly 
developed purpose statement.   
 
 
You will have to rethink how you ar e portraying the themes and sub -themes. Some of the 
subthemes is not a good fit with the main theme.  Also I suggest that you collapse of of your 
subthemes.  the discussion will benefit if you add a section on what this study contribute to new 
knowledge de velopment.  I additionally suggest that you add information on the implications for 
education, practice, policy and further research.  I suggest that you have your work language 
edited.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
Are the methods appropriate and well described?  
If not, please specify what is required in your comments to the authors.  
 
No 
 
Does the work include the necessary controls?  
If not, please specify which controls are required in your  comments to the authors.  
 
Unable to assess  
 
Are the conclusions drawn adequately supported by the data shown?  
If not, please explain in your comments to the authors.  
 
No 
 
Are you able to assess any statistics in the manus cript or would you recommend an 
additi onal statistical review?  
If an additional statistical review is recommended, please speci fy what aspects require further 
assessment in your comments to the editors.  
 
Not relevant to this manuscript  
 
Quality of written English  
Please indicate the quality of l anguage in the manuscript:  
 
Needs some language corrections before being published  
 
Declaration of competing interests  
Please complete a declaration of competing interests, considering the following questions:  
 
1. Have you in the past five years received reim bursements, f ees, funding, or salary from an 
organisation that may in any way gain or lose financial ly from the publication of this 
manuscript, either now or in the future?  
 
2. Do you hold any stocks or shares in an organisation that may in any way gain or lose 
financially from the publication of this manuscript, either now or in the future?  
 
3. Do you hold or are you currently applying for any patents  relating to the content of the 
manuscript?  
 
4. Have you received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary fro m an organization that 
holds or has applied for patents relating to the content of the manuscript?  
 
5. Do you have any other financial competing interests?  
 
6. Do you have any non -financial competing interests in relation to this paper?  
If you can answer no to all of the above, write 'I declare that I have  no competing interests' 
below. If your reply is yes to any, please give details below.  
 
'I declare that I have no competing interests'  
 
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