How to Pronounce Vesicovaginal Fistula

Say it like this: ves-ih-koh-VAJ-ih-nal FIS-choo-lah. The stress falls on the third syllable of the first word (VAJ), so you say it a bit louder and longer than the other parts. The second word, fistula, is stressed on the first syllable (FIS).

Many people stress the wrong syllable and say "ves-ICK-oh-vaj-ih-nal" instead of "ves-ih-koh-VAJ-ih-nal." Remember: the emphasis goes on VAJ in the middle of the word, not on the first part.

Sure! Vesicovaginal breaks down as: ves-ih-koh-VAJ-ih-nal (6 syllables). Fistula breaks down as: FIS-choo-lah (3 syllables). Together, it's 9 syllables total.

This word combines three Latin/Greek parts: "vesico" refers to the bladder, "vaginal" refers to the vagina, and the hyphen shows these two body parts are connected. So vesicovaginal literally means "relating to both the bladder and vagina."

Fistula comes from Latin and means an abnormal tunnel or opening. It's used in medical language to describe any kind of unwanted connection between two body parts or between an organ and the body's surface.

You might hear terms like rectovaginal fistula (an opening between the rectum and vagina) or enterovaginal fistula (an opening between the intestine and vagina). These all follow the same pattern: the first part names one body part, and fistula means the abnormal opening.

Sometimes doctors abbreviate it as VVF, which you would say by spelling out the letters: V-V-F. However, you'll most often see and hear the full medical term vesicovaginal fistula.

You might hear someone say: "The patient was referred to a specialist who treats vesicovaginal fistula" or "Understanding how to pronounce vesicovaginal fistula helps medical students communicate clearly with colleagues."