Peer-reviewed article
Female genital mutilation/cutting: going beyond urogynecologic complications and obstetric outcomes.
Libretti A, Bianco G, Corsini C, Remorgida V ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This review examines female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) beyond its medical complications, focusing on the perceptions of women, community awareness, and healthcare worker knowledge. The authors find that women's education level, awareness of rights, and emigration to western countries influence attitudes toward the practice, while lack of education and poverty support men's endorsement of FGM. Healthcare professionals need better training to identify and support affected girls and women. The review emphasizes education and awareness as key factors for eliminating FGM.
Key points
- Over 4 million girls are at risk of FGM annually
- Women with secondary education or higher are more likely to support eradication of FGM
- Women from rural areas, already circumcised, or without secondary education are more likely to have circumcised daughters
- Healthcare professionals are often unaware of how to properly address FGM despite being aware of the practice
- General practitioners and psychologists play central roles in diagnosis, treatment, and addressing psychological harm from FGM
Limitations
This is a narrative review that synthesizes existing literature rather than presenting original research data, so it cannot quantify the prevalence of specific attitudes or provide details on intervention effectiveness. The document does not specify which countries or regions the reviewed studies covered.
Abstract
Purpose of review Female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C or FGM) are procedures that involve partial or total removal of external female genitalia and other injuries to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons. Over 4 million girls are at risk of FGM annually. Since urogynecologic and obstetric complications of FGM have been extensively described and characterized, the aim of this review is to shift the focus on other aspects like perception of women, awareness of community, and knowledge of health workers. Our purpose is to highlight those aspects and understand how their grasp might help to eradicate this practice. Recent findings Self-perception of women with FGM changes when they emigrate to western countries; awareness of complications and awareness of their rights are factors that make women reject the practice. Women from rural areas, already circumcised, or without a secondary level education are more likely to have a circumcised daughter. Women with at least a secondary education are more likely to agree with the eradication of the practice. Lack of education and poor wealth index are factors associated with men's support of FGM. Although aware of FGM, healthcare professionals need to be trained on this topic. General practitioners play a central role in addressing patients with FGM to the right path of diagnosis and treatment and psychologists in helping them with psychological sequelae. Conclusion These findings point out the future area of intervention, stressing the need of higher standard of care and global effort to eradicate this practice.