Back to Journals » International Journal of Women's Health » Volume 5

Female genital mutilation/cutting in The Gambia: long-term health consequences and complications during delivery and for the newborn

Authors Kaplan A, Forbes M, Bonhoure I, Utzet M, Martín M, Manneh M, Ceesay H

Received 25 December 2012

Accepted for publication 14 February 2013

Published 17 June 2013 Volume 2013:5 Pages 323—331

DOI https://doi.org/10.2147/IJWH.S42064

Checked for plagiarism Yes

Review by Single anonymous peer review

Peer reviewer comments 2



Adriana Kaplan,1–3 Mary Forbes,4 Isabelle Bonhoure,2 Mireia Utzet,5 Miguel Martín,5 Malick Manneh,4 Haruna Ceesay4

1
Chair of Social Knowledge Transfer/ Parc de Recerca UAB - Santander, Department of Social and Cultural Anthropology, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; 2Interdisciplinary Group for the Study and Prevention of Harmful Traditional Practices, Department of Social and Cultural Anthropology, Universitat Autónoma de Barcelona, Barcelona Spain; 3Wassu Gambia Kafo, Fajara F Section, Banjul, The Gambia; 4School of Enrolled Community Health Nurses and Midwives, Ministry of Health, Mansakonko, Lower River Region, The Gambia; 5Africa and Latin America Research Group, Unit of Biostatistics, Faculty of Medicine, Autonomus University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain

Background: Female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) is a harmful traditional practice deeply rooted in 28 Sub-Saharan African countries. Its prevalence in The Gambia is 76.3%. The objective of this study was to gain precise information on the long-term health consequences of FGM/C in The Gambia as well as on its impact on delivery and on the health of the newborns.
Methods: Data were collected from 588 female patients examined for antenatal care or delivery in hospitals and health centers of the Western Health Region, The Gambia. The information collected, both through a questionnaire and medical examination, included sociodemographic factors, the presence or not of FGM/C, the types of FGM/C practiced, the long-term health consequences of FGM/C, complications during delivery and for the newborn. Odds ratios, their 95% confidence intervals, and P values were calculated.
Results: The prevalence of patients who had undergone FGM/C was 75.6% (type I: 75.6%; type II: 24.4%). Women with type I and II FGM/C had a significantly higher prevalence of long-term health problems (eg, dysmenorrhea, vulvar or vaginal pain), problems related to anomalous healing (eg, fibrosis, keloid, synechia), and sexual dysfunction. Women with FGM/C were also much more likely to suffer complications during delivery (perineal tear, obstructed labor, episiotomy, cesarean, stillbirth) and complications associated with anomalous healing after FGM/C. Similarly, newborns were found to be more likely to suffer complications such as fetal distress and caput of the fetal head.
Conclusion: This study shows that FGM/C is associated with a variety of long-term health consequences, that women with FGM/C are four times more likely to suffer complications during delivery, and the newborn is four times more likely to have health complications if the parturient has undergone FGM/C. These results highlight for the first time the magnitude of consequences during delivery and for the newborn, associated with FGM/C in The Gambia.

Keywords: female genital mutilation/cutting, The Gambia, sexual and reproductive health, Africa

Creative Commons License © 2013 The Author(s). This work is published and licensed by Dove Medical Press Limited. The full terms of this license are available at https://www.dovepress.com/terms.php and incorporate the Creative Commons Attribution - Non Commercial (unported, v3.0) License. By accessing the work you hereby accept the Terms. Non-commercial uses of the work are permitted without any further permission from Dove Medical Press Limited, provided the work is properly attributed. For permission for commercial use of this work, please see paragraphs 4.2 and 5 of our Terms.