Female circumcision

The practice of female genital mutilations is widespread in many developing countries, yet health care professionals typically know little about the care of circumcised women. With the influx of immigrants and refugees from developing countries into Western cultures, it's important for nurses to understand some of the customs, beliefs, and traditions surrounding female circumcision (Calder, et al., 1993; McCleary, 1994). It's estimated that approximately 2 million procedures are performed annually (WHO, 1997).