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Female genital mutilation/cutting and birthing: Enhanced education and training is critical for health care providers
Lurie, Jacob M. Kaur, Gunisha
Lurie, Jacob M.
Kaur, Gunisha
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Journal article
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2022-09-03
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http://dx.doi.org/10.7189/jogh.12.03059
Abstract
While the World Health Organization calls for a universal ban on female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C), 200 million women and girls around the world are affected by the ongoing practice [1]. Physicians in high-income countries will encounter patients with FGM/C more frequently. For example, in 2021, over half of the top ten countries of origin for refugees admitted to the United States practised FGM/C, with some nations having a prevalence of FGM/C of nearly 90% [2]. Refugee admissions are also set to increase from a maximum of 62 500 in fiscal year 2021 to 125 000 for fiscal year 2022 [3]. This is added to the 44 million immigrants residing in the United States and the over three million refugees admitted since 1975. However, FGM/C remains an enigma for providers who often do not recognize its signs and symptoms, do not understand how to query patients for its known obstetric and gynecologic complications, and do not know how to meet the unique health needs of these women and girls [4]. Most of those who undergo FGM/C are children. It is estimated that half of the incidences of FGM/C occur in children under five years of age, and most other cases occur in children five to fifteen years of age [4]. Experiencing trauma, especially during childhood, is known to increase the risk of numerous long-term health problems such as cardiac, pulmonary, and liver disease, psychiatric illnesses such as depression and anxiety, and rates of illicit drug and alcohol abuse [5–7]. With this understanding, we propose a trauma-informed approach to treating patients who have undergone FGM/C.
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International Society of Global Health
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Journal of Global Health, Vol. 12
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