Christina Pallitto of the World Health Organization and colleagues from four countries conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of existing evidence and produced the most comprehensive list to date of the health risks associated with female genital mutilation (FGM, also known as female circumcision). The analysis included 78 studies involving nearly half a million girls and women, 68 of which were conducted in countries where FGM is common. The results are published in the journal BMC Public Health.
The authors found strong evidence of increased long-term risk of obstetric, gynecological, urological, sexual and mental health problems in girls and women after FGM. Obstetric problems included prolonged labour and obstructed labour, lacerations, need for caesarean section or episiotomy, postpartum haemorrhage, neonatal distress and asphyxia, stillbirth and infant mortality; gynecological problems included persistent genital tissue damage, genital infections and difficult menstruation; urological problems included urinary tract infections and difficult urination; sexual problems included dyspareunia and sexual dysfunction; mental problems included depression, anxiety and somatoform disorders.