Peer-reviewed article
Breast Ironing from the Perspective of Transcultural Nursing by Madeleine Leininger: A Narrative Review.
Cárdaba-García RM, Velasco-Gonzalez V, Cárdaba-García I, Pérez-Pérez L, Durantez-Fernández C et al. ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This narrative review examines breast ironing, a harmful traditional practice affecting girls and adolescents primarily in Cameroon, where heat and pressure are applied to developing breasts to delay growth and prevent sexual abuse and early pregnancy. The practice causes physical damage including harm to mammary glands, pain, and infections, along with psychological and social consequences. The authors analyse the practice through transcultural nursing theory and human rights frameworks, concluding that while cultural respect is important in healthcare, human rights protection and elimination of violent practices must take precedence. The review recommends educational campaigns and stronger enforcement approaches to address the practice.
Key points
- Breast ironing primarily affects girls and adolescents in Cameroon and several other countries
- The practice aims to delay breast development to protect girls from sexual abuse, early pregnancy, and forced marriage
- Physical consequences include damage to mammary glands, pain, infections, and potential long-term health complications
- Transcultural nursing theory promotes cultural respect but raises questions about practices that violate physical integrity
- Educational campaigns and more punitive approaches are proposed as solutions
Limitations
This is a narrative review that synthesises existing literature rather than presenting new empirical data, so it cannot provide quantitative evidence on prevalence, effectiveness of interventions, or comparative outcomes. The document does not present original research or evaluate the effectiveness of specific interventions through systematic measurement.
Abstract
(1) Background: This article addresses the harmful traditional practice of breast ironing, which primarily affects girls and adolescents in several countries, particularly in Cameroon. The practice involves applying heat and pressure to developing breasts to delay their growth, with the goal of protecting girls from sexual abuse, early pregnancy, and forced marriages. While culturally accepted, breast ironing has severe physical, psychological, and social consequences, including damage to mammary glands, pain, infections, and potential long-term health complications. (2) Methods: A reflective analysis of the topic was conducted through a comprehensive search of various databases (PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, and CINAHL) following narrative review methodology. (3) Results: The practice is also examined through the lens of human rights and Madeleine Leininger's transcultural nursing theory, which promotes respect for cultural traditions in healthcare. However, the authors question whether such a theory can justify practices that violate women's physical integrity. (4) Conclusions: This study concludes that while cultural beliefs must be considered in healthcare, human rights and the elimination of violent practices, such as breast ironing, must take precedence. Educational campaigns and a more punitive approach in countries where this practice occurs are proposed as essential steps forward.