Why fgm is done

More than million girls and women alive today are estimated to have experienced FGM in the 30 countries where it is most common.

The clitoris is the most sensitive erogenous zone of a woman and the main cause of her sexual pleasure. It is a small erectile part of the female genitalia. Upon being stimulated, the clitoris produces sexual excitement, clitoral erection, and orgasm. The clitoris and labia minora are partially or completely removed. It may also include the removal of the labia majora. The labia are the lips that surround the vagina.

The vaginal opening is narrowed, and a covering seal is created. The inner or outer labia are cut and repositioned. This practice may or may not include the removal of the clitoris. Other procedures include cauterizing, scraping, incising, pricking, or piercing the genital area, for reasons other than medical purposes. It can also lead to complications. The exact number of fatalities due to FGM is not known, but in parts of Somalia where there are no antibiotics , it has been suggested that 1 in 3 girls who undergo the operation die because of the practice.

If the opening has been narrowed, it will need to be reopened before marriage to enable sexual intercourse and childbirth. In some places, FGM is a relatively new practice that communities have adopted from neighboring communities. In some cases, it is the revival of an old custom. Immigrants to places where FGM is not practiced may take the custom with them, and people who move into a location where it is practiced may adopt it.

If you're concerned that someone may be at risk, contact the NSPCC helpline on or fgmhelp nspcc. Types of FGM There are 4 main types of FGM: type 1 clitoridectomy — removing part or all of the clitoris type 2 excision — removing part or all of the clitoris and the inner labia the lips that surround the vagina , with or without removal of the labia majora the larger outer lips type 3 infibulation — narrowing the vaginal opening by creating a seal, formed by cutting and repositioning the labia other harmful procedures to the female genitals, including pricking, piercing, cutting, scraping or burning the area FGM is often performed by traditional circumcisers or cutters who do not have any medical training.

Effects of FGM There are no health benefits to FGM and it can cause serious harm, including: constant pain pain and difficulty having sex repeated infections, which can lead to infertility bleeding, cysts and abscesses problems peeing or holding pee in incontinence depression , flashbacks and self-harm problems during labour and childbirth, which can be life threatening for mother and baby Some girls die from blood loss or infection as a direct result of the procedure.

FGM and pregnancy Some women with FGM may find it difficult to become pregnant, and those who do conceive can have problems in childbirth. FGM and mental health FGM can be an extremely traumatic experience that can cause emotional difficulties throughout life, including; depression anxiety flashbacks to the time of the cutting nightmares and other sleep problems In some cases, women may not remember having the FGM at all, especially if it was performed when they were an infant.

Treatment for FGM deinfibulation Surgery can be performed to open up the vagina, if necessary. This is called deinfibulation. But it can help many problems caused by FGM.

Surgery may be recommended for: women who are unable to have sex or have difficulty peeing as a result of FGM pregnant women at risk of problems during labour or delivery as a result of FGM Deinfibulation should be carried out before getting pregnant, if possible.

Video: female genital mutilation FGM This video raises awareness of female genital mutilation FGM and has advice if you or someone else are at risk. Media last reviewed: 1 July Media review due: 1 July Video: female genital mutilation - women's experiences In this video, women talk about their personal experiences of female genital mutilation FGM. Media last reviewed: 10 June Media review due: 10 June Video: female genital mutilation - the facts This video dispels myths surrounding FGM and religion.

Media last reviewed: 8 July Media review due: 8 July These include:. The procedure is carried out at a variety of ages, ranging from shortly after birth to sometime during the first pregnancy. Although not always the case, it most commonly occurs between the ages of 0 to 15 years and the age is decreasing in some countries.

The practice has been linked in some countries with rites of passage for women. FGM is usually performed by traditional practitioners using a sharp object such as a knife, a razor blade or broken glass. There is also evidence of an increase in the performance of FGM by medical personnel.

Immediate consequences of FGM include severe pain and bleeding, shock, difficulty in passing urine, infections, injury to nearby genital tissue and sometimes death. The procedure can result in death through severe bleeding leading to haemorrhagic shock, neurogenic shock as a result of pain and trauma, and overwhelming infection and septicaemia , according to Manfred Nowak, UN Special Rapporteur on Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.

Almost all women who have undergone FGM experience pain and bleeding as a consequence of the procedure. The event itself is traumatic as girls are held down during the procedure. Medical complications can include severe pain, prolonged bleeding, infection, infertility and even death. It can also lead to increased risk of HIV transmission. Women who have undergone genital mutilation can experience complications during childbirth, including postpartum haemorrhage, stillbirth and early neonatal death.

Psychological impacts can range from a girl losing trust in her caregivers to longer-term feelings of anxiety and depression as a woman. Progress to end FGM needs to be at least 10 times faster if the practice is to be eliminated by While the exact number of girls and women worldwide who have undergone FGM remains unknown, at least million girls and women aged 15—49 from 31 countries have been subjected to the practice.

There has been significant progress made in eliminating the practice in the past 30 years. Young girls in many countries today are at much lower risk of being subjected to FGM than their mothers and grandmothers were in the past.

However, progress is not universal or fast enough. In some countries, the practice remains as common today as it was three decades ago. Over 90 per cent of women and girls in Guinea and Somalia undergo some form of genital mutilation or cutting.