Female Genital Mutilation

And Its Health Risks

What is Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)

FGM consist of procedures that include incomplete or over-all

amputations of the external female genitalia, or any kind of

damage done to the female genital tissues for non-medical
reasons.

FGM is mostly done by traditional cutters, who are women.

A ritual highly suggested by certain cultures.

Who is at Risk?
The process is normally done to innocent children.
These children and females are usually between

infancy and age 15, and rarely on women that are

adults.
In Africa, over three million girls have been
anticipated to be at risk for FGM yearly.
The statistics show that this is going on in twentynine nations.
Most of these nations are found in Africa or the
Middle East. The procedure is most typical in the
western parts of Africa, and it is also prevalent in
some countries in the Middle East and Asia where it
is done vastly among refugees from these regions.

FGM
Ritual
Depending on the country, location
and ethnic background is how they
determine the type of procedure that
will be performed on the child after
viewing the anatomical extent.

Types of FGM Procedures

Type 1 Clitoroidectomy: partial or total removal of the clitoris (a small, sensitive

and erectile part of the female genitals) and/or in very rare cases only, the prepuce
(the fold of skin surrounding the clitoris).

Type 2 Excision: partial or total removal of the clitoris and the labia minora, with or

without excision of the labia majora (the labia are the lips that surround the
vagina).

Type 3 Infibulation: narrowing of the vaginal opening through the creation of a

covering seal. The seal is formed by cutting and repositioning the inner, or outer,
labia, with or without removal of the clitoris.

Type 4 Other: all other harmful procedures to the female genitalia for non-medical

purposes, e.g. pricking, piercing, incising, scraping and cauterizing the genital area.

The most common procedure is mainly kept between Type 1 and 2. The most severe

cutting would be Type 3 and 4, where the child is faced with lifelong complications.

No health benefits, only harm.

FGM has no health benefits, and it harms girls and women
in many ways. It involves removing and damaging healthy
and normal female genital tissue, and interferes with the
natural functions of girls' and women's bodies.
Immediate complications can include severe pain, shock,
hemorrhage (bleeding), tetanus or sepsis (bacterial
infection), urine retention, open sores in the genital region
and injury to nearby genital tissue.

Long Term Health Complications

Urinary Tract Infections
Bleeding
HIV in relation to poor hygiene during procedure
PTSD
Dyspareunia
35% of these women remain childless due to inability to

perform sexual intercourse

Child birth deaths are increasing with women who have FGM

Stopping The
Torture
In some nations where female genital
mutilation is done, organizers have tried to
lessen the physical issues caused by this
procedure. They do this by requesting hospitals
and physicians to do the operation. This
medicalization of female genital mutilation
offends the worldwide medical community, and
is looked at as a way for FGM enthusiasts to
carry on with this procedure. Supporters have
charged that doctors should not perform
female genital mutilation, as their line of work
involves them to not harm their patients,
regardless of traditional customs and practices.

Education Prevails
Recent research shows that women in these regions are
beginning to support the international call to end FGM.
Some of the greatest important research in current
years has been the work done with Muslim scholars to
change the awareness that FGM is religiously crucial by
the Koran, which is the Muslim bible.
In some nations, ethnic groups have effectively
substituted FGM with a ceremonial that does not have
anything to do with cutting the genitals. In this manner,
the culture reserves its integrity and comes up with
new traditions that are not causing any harm to
women. On the other hand, as girls are getting cut at
ages that are younger and younger, frequently in
infancy, these other rites of passage turn out to be less
significant.

FGM: A World Issue that needs to end.

Most nations are not seeing FGM as being an issue, therefore this problem

continues to persist. Fortunately, with the help of international campaigns,

FGM will be stopped worldwide.

Many foreign national from these 29 nations, live in the United States. Young

couples would marry and move abroad to raise a family; American Children.

The fight against FGM is happening here in the USA as well.

http://www.equalitynow.org/sites/default/files/Crowley.pdf
https://youtu.be/32g-HCmdNCc

Stopping Female Genital Mutilation

https://youtu.be/32g-HCmdNCc