Health care providers’ and mothers’ perceptions about the medicalization of female genital mutilation or cutting in Egypt: a cross-sectional qualitative study

El-Gibaly, Omaima; Aziz, Mirette M.; Hussein, Salma Abou

doi:10.1186/s12914-019-0202-x

Cited by 19 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…The finding in this study that some doctors claimed harm reduction as their reason for practising FGC concurs with the findings of a review by Doucet and colleagues [ 12 ] and studies in Nigeria [ 26 ] and Egypt [ 27 ], where doctors practice FGC to prevent parents seeking traditional practitioners [ 16 ]. Religion and culture were motivations for the doctors in this study to conduct FGC just as in studies conducted in Nigeria [ 26 , 35 ] and Egypt [ 33 ].…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 90%

“…There is no official training on FGC in the medical curriculum. Like most other health practitioners who perform FGC elsewhere, such as in Nigeria, Egypt, and Indonesia [ 26 , 27 , 34 , 35 ], the doctors in this study learned the skills from colleagues who themselves had no formal training. Unfortunately, parents who prefer their daughters be cut by healthcare professionals are unaware of the healthcare providers’ lack of knowledge and training related to FGC [ 32 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 93%

“…This finding also concurs with a review of literature by Doucet and colleagues [ 12 ] that found that FGC was justified for cultural reasons. Doctors who practiced FGC in this study were Malay Muslims who themselves were part of the community that they served, therefore some of them may have had the same religious, social, and cultural motivations as those who requested the service [ 27 ]. Some may have undergone FGC themselves or have maintained the tradition for their daughters [ 28 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It is reported that health practitioners fear social sanctions if they do not practice FGC especially in rural communities, where members of the community may boycott their practice, resulting in lower patient numbers and reduced income [ 27 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Medicalization of female genital cutting in Malaysia: A mixed methods study

2020

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Background Despite the clear stand taken by the United Nations (UN) and other international bodies in ensuring that female genital cutting (FGC) is not performed by health professionals, the rate of medicalization has not reduced. The current study aimed to determine the extent of medicalization of FGC among doctors in Malaysia, who the doctors were who practiced it, how and what was practiced, and the motivations for the practice. Methods and findings This mixed method (qualitative and quantitative) study was conducted from 2018 to 2019 using a self-administered questionnaire among Muslim medical doctors from 2 main medical associations with a large number of Muslim members from all over Malaysia who attended their annual conference. For those doctors who did not attend the conference, the questionnaire was posted to them. Association A had 510 members, 64 male Muslim doctors and 333 female Muslim doctors. Association B only had Muslim doctors; 3,088 were female, and 1,323 were male. In total, 894 questionnaires were distributed either by hand or by post, and 366 completed questionnaires were received back. For the qualitative part of the study, a snowball sampling method was used, and 24 in-depth interviews were conducted using a semi-structured questionnaire, until data reached saturation. Quantitative data were analysed using SPSS version 18 (IBM, Armonk, NY). A chi-squared test and binary logistic regression were performed. The qualitative data were transcribed manually, organized, coded, and recoded using NVivo version 12. The clustered codes were elicited as common themes. Most of the respondents were women, had medical degrees from Malaysia, and had a postgraduate degree in Family Medicine. The median age was 42. Most were working with the Ministry of Health (MoH) Malaysia, and in a clinic located in an urban location. The prevalence of Muslim doctors practising FGC was 20.5% (95% CI 16.6–24.9). The main reason cited for practising FGC was religious obligation. Qualitative findings too showed that religion was a strong motivating factor for the practice and its continuation, besides culture and harm reduction. Although most Muslim doctors performed type IV FGC, there were a substantial number performing type I. Respondents who were women (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 4.4, 95% CI 1.9–10.0. P ≤ 0.001), who owned a clinic (aOR 30.7, 95% CI 12.0–78.4. P ≤ 0.001) or jointly owned a clinic (aOR 7.61, 95% CI 3.2–18.1. P ≤ 0.001), who thought that FGC was legal in Malaysia (aOR 2.09, 95% CI 1.02–4.3. P = 0.04), and who were encouraged in religion (aOR 2.25, 95% CI 3.2–18.1. P = 0.036) and thought that FGC should continue (aOR 3.54, 95% CI 1.25–10.04. P = 0.017) were more likely to practice FGC. The main limitations of the study were the small sample size and low response rate. Conclusions ...

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 90%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 93%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Medicalization of female genital cutting in Malaysia: A mixed methods study

2020

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“…This finding have been elicited elsewhere in Egypt where some doctors debated whether FGM/C was medically necessary and were using the term female genital cosmetic surgery. [39] Similarly, some clinician can hide behind the laws that legalize plastic surgery in Kenya to advance medicalized FGM/C as well as capitalize on the part of the definition for FGM/C under the prohibition of FGM Act namely "but does not include a sexual reassignment procedure or a medical procedure that has a genuine therapeutic purpose". [40] However, for this to happen medicalization must present a financially lucrative opportunity that may only be sustained by economically capable adult women as opposed to majority of girls who cannot afford the cost of surgeons.…”

Section: Shift Toward Medicalization Of Fgm/cmentioning

confidence: 99%

Female genital mutilation/cutting: Emerging factors sustaining medicalization related changes in selected Kenyan communities

et al. 2020

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Although female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) has declined, it is pervasive albeit changing form among communities in Kenya. Transformation of FGM/C include medicalization although poorly understood has increased undermining abandonment efforts for the practice. We sought to understand drivers of medicalization in FGM/C among selected Kenyan communities. A qualitative study involving participants from Abagusii, Somali and Kuria communities and key informants with health care providers from four Kenyan counties was conducted. Data were collected using in-depth interviews (n = 54), key informant interviews (n = 56) and 45 focus group discussions. Data were transcribed and analyzed thematically using NVivo version 12. We found families practiced FGM/C for reasons including conformity to culture/tradition, religion, marriageability, fear of negative sanctions, and rite of passage. Medicalized FGM/C was only reported by participants from the Abagusii and Somali communities. Few Kuria participants shared that medicalized FGM/C was against their culture and would attract sanctions. Medicalized FGM/C was perceived to have few health complications, shorter healing, and enables families to hide from law. To avoid arrest or sanctions, medicalized FGM/C was performed at home/private clinics. Desire to mitigate health complications and income were cited as reasons for health providers performing of FGM/C. Medicalization was believed to perpetuate the practice as it was perceived as modernized FGM/C. FGM/C remains pervasive in the studied Kenyan communities albeit changed form and context. Findings suggest medicalization sustain FGM/C by allowing families and health providers to conform to social norms underpinning FGM/C while addressing risks of FGM/C complications and legal prohibitions. This underscores the need for more nuanced approaches targeting health providers, families and communities to promote abandonment of FGM/C while addressing medicalization.

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Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting

Berg

2019

The Encyclopedia of Women and Crime

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Health care providers’ and mothers’ perceptions about the medicalization of female genital mutilation or cutting in Egypt: a cross-sectional qualitative study

Cited by 19 publications

References 11 publications

Medicalization of female genital cutting in Malaysia: A mixed methods study

Medicalization of female genital cutting in Malaysia: A mixed methods study

Female genital mutilation/cutting: Emerging factors sustaining medicalization related changes in selected Kenyan communities

Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting

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