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Chapter 55 - Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting

from Section 11 - Public Health Issues in Gynaecology

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 November 2021

By
Jasmine Abdulcadir
Edited by
Tahir Mahmood ,
Charles Savona-Ventura ,
Ioannis Messinis  and
Sambit Mukhopadhyay
Tahir Mahmood
Affiliation:
Victoria Hospital, Kirkcaldy
Charles Savona-Ventura
Affiliation:
University of Malta, Malta
Ioannis Messinis
Affiliation:
University of Thessaly, Greece
Sambit Mukhopadhyay
Affiliation:
Norfolk & Norwich University Hospital, UK
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Summary

Female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) is defined by the WHO as the partial or total removal of the external genitalia or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons. FGM/C can negatively affect women’s and girls’ psychophysical health with possible infectious, urogynaecological, obstetric, sexual and psychological complications. It is a practice that is illegal in many high-prevalence and -migration countries and is considered to be a violation of human rights. Health professionals have a fundamental role in preventing the practice in future generations, providing health education, avoiding the ‘medicalization’ of FGM/C and in offering appropriate information, counselling, clinical (diagnosis, treatment and psychosexual care) and surgical care (defibulation and clitoral reconstruction) in the case of complications.

Keywords

mutilationclitorislabiavulvafemale
Type
Chapter
Information
The EBCOG Postgraduate Textbook of Obstetrics & Gynaecology
Gynaecology
 , pp. 473 - 482
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2021

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