Female Genital Cutting (fGC)

With Dr. Faosat Aragbaiye
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Female genital cutting means piercing, cutting removing or sewing closed all part of girl’s or woman’s external genitals for no medical reason.

Female genital cutting in Nigeria accounts for the most female genital cutting cases worldwide. The practices are customarily a family tradition that the young female of age 0-15 would experience.

The national prevalence rate of FGC is 41% among adult women. Prevalence rates progressively decline in young age groups and 37% of the circumcised women do not want FGC to continue.

FGC is practiced in 30 countries in Africa, the Middle East and Asia, but Egypt, Ethiopia, Nigeria, and Sudan account for 42% of all cases.

Types of FGC

The four main types are:

                Type 1: partial or total removal of clitoris.

                Type 2:partial or total removal of the clitoris and the labia

                Type 3: sewing the labia together to make the vaginal opening smaller. This is called infibulations. The clitoris may be left in place.

                Type 4: all other harm to the female genitalia for nonmedical purposes, including pricking, piecing, cutting, scraping, and cauterization ( burning)

 Reasons for FGC

                Social acceptability

                To help ensure that a woman remains a virgin until marriage

                Condition of marriage

                Rite of passage

                Hygiene

                Belief that FGC increases sexual pleasure for the man

                Religious duty, although no religious holy texts require FGC

Health Problems

FGC can cause immediate and long term medical problems. Type 3 causes more health problems than type 1 or type 2.

Immediate medical problems may include;

                Severe pain

                Serious bleeding

                Infection of the wound

                Trauma

                Problems going to the bathroom, including burning and pain

                Tetanus and other infections

Long term medical problems may include:

                Infections, such as genital abscesses and infectious diseases such s hepatitis; urinary tract infections, bacterial vaginosis and HIV

                Problems having sex

                Depression and anxiety

                Painful and prolonged menstrual pain

                Urinary problems

                Fistula

       Effect of FGC on pregnancy

FGC does not usually cause problems for a woman during pregnancy, but women who have had FGC face unique risks during childbirth. These may include:

                Prolonged labour

                Excessive bleeding after childbirth

                Higher risk for episiotomy

                Higher risk for caesarean section

Risks to the infant include low birth weight, breathing problems at birth and stillbirth.

Disadvantages of FGC

Removal of, or damage to, highly sensitive genital tissue, especially the clitoris may affect sexual sensitivity and lead to sexual problems, such as decreased sexual desire and pleasure, pain during sex, difficulty during penetration, decreased lubrication during intercourse, and reduced frequency or absence of urge for sex.

Prevention

                Community involvement in putting end to FGC practice

                Passing laws against FGC

                Enforcement of law passed on FGC.