Female circumcision and obstetric complications
Larsen, U.; Okonofua, F.E.
International Journal of Gynaecology and Obstetrics the Official Organ of the International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics 77(3): 255-265
2002
ISSN/ISBN: 0020-7292 PMID: 12065141 DOI: 10.1016/s0020-7292(02)00028-0Document Number: 242336
Objectives: To examine whether complications at delivery are associated with female circumcision. Method: One thousand eight hundred and fifty-one women seeking family planning or antenatal care in three southwest Nigerian hospitals were interviewed and had a medical exam. The prevalence of complications at delivery for uncircumcised women and circumcised women with type 1 (partial or total removal of the clitoris) or type 2 (partial or total removal of the clitoris and part or all of the labia minora) were determined. Associations between self-reported complications at delivery and clinic-reported type of circumcision were analyzed using bivariate and multivariate logistic regression. Result: Forty-five percent were circumcised; 71% had type 1 and 24% had type 2. Circumcised women had significantly higher risks of tearing and stillbirths when all pregnancies were analyzed. Conclusion: Circumcised women experienced more obstetric complications, while there was no significant difference between women with type 1 and type 2.
Document emailed within 0-6 h
