Peer-reviewed article
Urethral prolapse following female genital mutilation in a 9-year-old Somali girl: A rare case report.
Abdi AM, Hassan AI, Mohamud AA, Abdullahi IM, Ahmed MR et al. ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This is a medical case report documenting urethral prolapse in a 9-year-old Somali girl that developed six months after undergoing female genital mutilation (FGM). Urethral prolapse is a rare condition normally seen in very young girls or older women, but this appears to be the first documented case linked to FGM. The girl was treated with surgical excision and recovered well without complications.
Key points
- First documented case of urethral prolapse occurring as a complication of female genital mutilation in a child
- Condition presented six months after type II FGM with painful genital swelling
- Surgical excision was performed successfully with uneventful recovery and no recurrence at six months
- FGM is identified as a potential risk factor for urethral prolapse in children
Limitations
This is a single case report and cannot establish how common this complication is or whether it occurs regularly following FGM. It does not provide information about prevalence, risk factors, or long-term outcomes beyond six months.
Abstract
Urethral prolapse (UP) is a rare benign condition, typically seen in prepubertal girls and postmenopausal women, with estrogen deficiency and raised intra-abdominal pressure as common factors. We report the first documented case of UP in a child following female genital mutilation (FGM). A 9-year-old Somali girl presented with painful genital swelling six months after undergoing type II FGM. Examination confirmed UP, and surgical excision was performed successfully. Recovery was uneventful, with no recurrence at six months. This case highlights FGM as a potential risk factor for UP and underscores the importance of early recognition and timely surgical intervention.