Perception and attitude of pregnant women in a rural community north-west Nigeria to female genital mutilation

Abstract

FGM is prevalent in this community with Gishiri cut being the commonest variety. It is often associated with difficult childbirth and many women would subject their daughters to this practice. Female education and empowerment is crucial to discontinuation of this practice.

The psychological and social impact of female genital mutilation: A holistic conceptual framework

“…Women viewed FGM as inherent to their identity as a woman and expressed that without FGM they would not be viewed by society as 'marriageable' as they would be considered 'impure' by their community, a finding supported by previous research (Ashimi & Amole, 2015). However, this paper argues that FGM impacts significantly on women's identity and their relationship with other women in their family who they blamed for its continued practice and were angry with.…”

Prevalence and predictors of female genital mutilation among infants in a semi urban community in northern Nigeria

“…In a facility-based survey, the prevalence of FGM among pregnant women attending antenatal care (ANC) in Birnin Kudu northwest Nigeria was 39.1% (of which 56% and 49% had "Gishiri" and "Angurya" respectively) [14], while a prevalence of 13.1% was observed among female infants examined at the immunisation clinic of a tertiary health facility in Kano, Nigeria with type I being most prevalent (96%) [16].…”

“…For instance, the type II FGM is mainly performed among the Igbo, Ibibio and Yoruba groups while "Angurya" and "Gishiri" are mostly performed by the Hausa and Fulani [7,14,15]. The Traditionalist and the Catholics mostly practice the type II.…”

“…FGM has no medical benefit rather it is associated with complications that could be severe depending on the type and extent [7,14,15]. These complications could be physical, social or psychological and may be immediate or long-term [6,12].…”

“…Hence it is not uncommon among pregnant women in the northwest zone of the country attempting childbirth at home under the care of traditional birth attendants [18]. "Angurya" cut is commonly carried out for dyspareunia and upholding existing tradition [7,11,12,14,16].…”