FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION: ARE WE WINNING?

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Women's Health
• Medical Anthropology

Background:

• Female genital mutilation (FGM) is a harmful traditional practice with significant health consequences.
• Despite decades of intervention, FGM persists in many regions, including Nigeria.
• Socio-cultural factors are deeply entrenched, posing challenges to eradication efforts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of female genital mutilation (FGM) in Southwest Nigeria.
• To profile trends and characteristics of FGM-affected patients.
• To assess the impact of long-standing efforts to curtail FGM.

Main Methods:

• A prospective study involving direct observation of external genitalia by healthcare workers.
• Study conducted in the pediatric and gynecological wards of Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.
• Data collected from 565 females under 15 years of age during 2007.

Main Results:

• 41.9% of examined patients had undergone female genital mutilation (FGM).
• 93.2% of FGM procedures occurred before the age of one year.
• Type 2 FGM was predominant (58.22%), often performed by traditional birth attendants, with mothers and grandmothers influencing the decision in 78% of cases. Immediate complications were noted in 35.4% of cases, with tradition cited as the primary reason in 59.1%.

Conclusions:

• Female genital mutilation (FGM) remains highly prevalent and resistant to change in Southwest Nigeria.
• Deep-rooted socio-cultural factors significantly contribute to the persistence of FGM.
• Public education campaigns emphasizing health impacts and human rights violations are crucial for evolving strategies against FGM.