BACKGROUND health professionals in Belgium are confronted with female genital mutilation (FGM). To date, no survey to assess knowledge, attitudes and practices on FGM was conducted among midwives in the Northern region of Belgium. OBJECTIVE the objective of this study was to assess the knowledge, attitude and practices of Flemish midwives regarding female genital mutilation (FGM). DESIGN we...

BACKGROUND The existing literature is contradictory regarding effects of female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) on sexual functions. The aim of this study was to explore the impact of type I and II FGM/C on sexual function of Egyptian women. METHODS We recruited 197 cut women and 197 control women from those visiting Assiut University hospitals for different reasons. We asked each woman to...

BACKGROUND Reliable evidence about the effect of female genital mutilation (FGM) on obstetric outcome is scarce. This study examines the effect of different types of FGM on obstetric outcome. METHODS 28 393 women attending for singleton delivery between November, 2001, and March, 2003, at 28 obstetric centres in Burkina Faso, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, and Sudan were examined before deli...

BACKGROUND Female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) is still prevalent in several communities in Kenya and other areas in Africa, as well as being practiced by some migrants from African countries living in other parts of the world. This study aimed at detecting clustering of FGM/C in Kenya, and identifying those areas within the country where women still intend to continue the practice. A bro...

Background There is a dearth of literature that has looked at the psychological impact of female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C), and little is known about the understanding and awareness of FGM/C amongst counselling professionals. Method An online survey was completed by 2073 BACP members. The survey covered four broad themes: demographics; awareness and understanding of FGM/C; experience...

OBJECTIVE To describe the first dedicated clinic in the UK for children with suspected or confirmed female genital mutilation (FGM) including referral patterns, clinical findings and subsequent management. DESIGN AND SETTING A prospective study of all children seen in a dedicated multidisciplinary FGM clinic for children over a 1-year period. POPULATION Patients aged under 18 years referred...

Understanding the forces underpinning female genital mutilation/ cutting (FGM/C) is a necessary first step to prevent the continuation of a practice that is associated with health complications and human rights violations. To this end, a systematic review of 21 studies was conducted. Based on this review, the authors reveal six key factors that underpin FGM/C: cultural tradition, sexual morals,...

Background: Female genital mutilation (FGM) is a major public health problem, especially in developing countries. Method: This was a prospective observational cohort study conducted over six months duration (1st July-31st December 2015) at Omdurman Maternity Hospital, Khartoum, Sudan, primarily to determine whether exposure to FGM/C (exposed Vs. non-exposed) and degree of exposure (type III Vs....

This paper analyses Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), a traditional practice in many cultures in Africa (and countries with an African diaspora). FGM “is widely recognised as a violation of the human rights of girls and women” [1]. This paper follows mainstream academia: considering FGM as a type of violence against females – with harmful effects in both the short and long term [2]. Many researc...

OBJECTIVES In 1996, the U.S. Congress passed legislation making female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) illegal in the United States. CDC published the first estimates of the number of women and girls at risk for FGM/C in 1997. Since 2012, various constituencies have again raised concerns about the practice in the United States. We updated an earlier estimate of the number of women and girls ...