Female genital cutting: Types, motives and perineal damage in laboring Egyptian women

Objectives: To study the prevalence of female genital cutting (FGC) in a nulliparous population admitted for childbirth. In addition, the type of FGC, the motives supporting FGC and perineal damage associated with this practice were evaluated. Subjects and Methods: A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted in the labor ward, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Assiut University Hospital, Assiut, Egypt. Two hundred and fifty-four primigravid women in active labor were recruited over a period of 20 months. The subjects responded to a questionnaire and obstetric and pelvic examinations were carried out. The type of cut (circumcision) and extent of tissue removal were recorded. Data was gathered concerning possible motives for FGC, rates of episiotomy and incidence of perineal tears. Results: All women recruited had been circumcised; 51% had type I cut and 49% had type II. Adherence to tradition was the most common motive for the operation (46.5%). Ninety-five percent of the study population had an episiotomy. The incidence of perineal tears was 1.6%. Conclusions: Female genital cutting (only types I and II) was confirmed in all patients in the study. There was a low incidence of perineal tears and a high episiotomy rate (95%). Episiotomy should be performed in all cases where FGC has made the vulva/vagina inelastic. Copyright © 2003 S. Karger AG, Basel.