Project report
Exploring the association between female genital mutilation/cutting and HIV
Evidence to End FGM/C Programme Consortium ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This report examines whether female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) increases girls' and women's risk of acquiring HIV. The authors note that experts theorize FGM/C may cause genital trauma and bleeding during intercourse, which could increase HIV transmission risk from infected partners. The report reviews existing evidence on this association and identifies gaps in research. The work aims to support FGM/C eradication by clarifying health harms linked to the practice.
Key points
- FGM/C threatens girls' health and well-being in multiple ways
- Theory: genital trauma and bleeding from FGM/C during intercourse may increase HIV acquisition risk
- The connection between FGM/C and HIV has received limited research attention
- Report highlights current evidence quality and gaps
- Stronger evidence of FGM/C-HIV association could strengthen eradication efforts
Limitations
This is a brief summarizing the state of evidence rather than presenting original research findings. The document does not specify which countries were included in the evidence review, making it unclear what geographic scope the findings cover.
Abstract
Female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) threatens the health and well-being of girls in a variety of ways. Some experts have suggested that human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) may be among the practice’s adverse health outcomes. They theorize that because women with FGM/C risk genital trauma and bleeding during intercourse, their chances of acquiring HIV from an infected male partner are increased. While evidence that FGM/C increases susceptibility to HIV could bolster FGM/C eradication efforts, this connection has received limited research attention. This brief highlights the Evidence to End FGM/C program’s findings on the current state of evidence on the association between FGM/C and HIV, including the quality of the existing research and recommendations for further investigation.