Midwives’ experiences of caring for women with female genital mutilation: insights and ways forward for practice in Australia (2015)

This study is a Descriptive research regarding All FGM/C with the following characteristics: Author(s): Dawson AJ,Turkmani S,Varol N,Nanayakkara S,Sullivan E,Homer CS FGM/C Type(s): All Health area of focus: Obstetrics. Objective: To provide insight into midwives’ views of,and experiences working with,women affected by FGM Study Population: Midwives Findings: Midwives demonstrated knowledge and recalled skills in caring for women with FGM. However,many lacked confidence in these areas. Participants expressed fear and a lack of experience caring for women with FGM. Midwives described practice issues,including the development of rapport with women,working with interpreters,misunderstandings about the culture of women,inexperience with associated clinical procedures and a lack of knowledge about FGM types and data collection Geographical coverage Region(s):Australia and New Zealand Country(ies):Australia Source

September 8, 2023

Midwives’ experiences of providing intrapartum care to women with female genital mutilation (2021)

This study is a Exploratory research regarding All FGM/C with the following characteristics: Author(s): Bajada,M FGM/C Type(s): All Health area of focus: None. Objective:  This study aimed to explore midwives’ experiences of providing intrapartum care to women with female genital mutilation Study Population: 6 midwives working at the delivery suite of the local general hospital and the sampling technique chosen was purposive sampling. Findings:  The findings of this study indicate that midwives working within the local setting lack knowledge of female genital mutilation,which leads to a lack of confidence when providing care to women with female genital mutilation. Midwives acknowledged this lack of knowledge and brought forward recommendations to raise further awareness of female genital mutilation and receive more education on the topic. The overall experiences of midwives providing intrapartum care to women with female genital mutilation,was described as being challenging. Midwives experienced feelings of shock,uncertainty and fear when providing care to these women. Among challenges faced when providing care to women with female genital mutilation was difficulty when performing procedures such as catheterisation and vaginal examinations. Midwives specifically associated fear with performing deinfibulation. Another challenge encountered by all midwives was the issue of communication and language barriers. Results from this study were critically discussed and compared with other studies on the topic. Recommendations from this study include the need for midwives to increase their awareness and knowledge of female genital mutilation as well as overcoming communication and language barriers that hinder optimum care provision to these women. Recommendations for further research include the conduction of a similar study using a mixed methodology approach using a larger number of participants,formulation of subsequent in-depth studies on the separate objectives and the exploration of perspectives of mothers,doctors,obstetricians,and other local health care providers on the care of women with female genital mutilation. Exploring the psychological impact on both the women and healthcare providers would also be interesting,taking into consideration the strong emotions that were mentioned in the findings. Geographical coverage Region(s):Southern Europe Country(ies):Malta Source

Migrating with Special Needs? Projections of Flows of Migrant Women with Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting Toward Europe 2016–2030 (2017)

This study is a Descriptive research regarding All FGM/C with the following characteristics: Author(s): Ortensi,L. E.,& Menonna,A. FGM/C Type(s): All Health area of focus: None. Objective: The paper aimed to present demography-driven projections of expected flows of women with FGM/C from each practicing country to each EU28 member state for the 3 sub-periods 2016–2020,2021–2025,and 2026–2030. Study Population: Women 15+ Findings: More than 92,000 girls aged 0–14 is expected to migrate between 2016 and 2020,while more than 310,000 girls aged 0–14 are expected between 2016 and 2030. Based on these predictions,a good way to protect children would be to set up programs to stop FGM/C. These programs should also include girls who were born in Europe but whose parents came from countries where FGM/C is common. In fact,about one in four girls will have already had FGM/C before they move,and less than 10 percent are still at risk of being cut. Future flows are likely to be very picky about where they go. Future migration patterns are likely to be highly regionalized. They will involve mainly France,Italy,Spain,the UK,and Sweden while leaving Eastern Europe largely unaffected. Geographical coverage Region(s):Western Europe,Eastern Europe,Southern Europe,Northern Europe,Western Asia Country(ies):Austria,Belgium,Bulgaria,Croatia,Cyprus,Czechia,Denmark,Estonia,Finland,France,Germany,Greece,Hungary,Ireland,Italy,Latvia,Lithuania,Luxembourg,Malta,Netherlands,Poland,Portugal,Romania,Slovakia,Slovenia,Spain,Sweden Source

Migrating with special needs? Projections of flows of migrant women with female genital mutilation/cutting toward Europe 2016–2030. (2017)

This study is a Descriptive research regarding All FGM/C with the following characteristics: Author(s): Ortensi,L. E.,& Menonna,A. FGM/C Type(s): All Health area of focus: None. Objective: To present demog-raphy-driven projections of female flows with FGM/C from each practicing countryto each EU28 member state for the 3 sub-periods 2016–2020,2021–2025,and2026–2030,with the aim of supporting resource planning and policy making. Study Population: Used data from KING—Knowledge for INtegration Governanceprojectconducted between September 2013 and March 2015 Findings: As thenumber of women with FGM/C in Europe is expected to rise at quite a fast rate,it isimportant to act timely by designing targeted interventions and policies at thenational and at the European level to assist cut women and protect children. Geographical coverage Region(s):Western Europe,Eastern Europe,Southern Europe,Northern Europe,Western Asia Country(ies):Austria,Belgium,Bulgaria,Croatia,Cyprus,Czechia,Denmark,Estonia,Finland,France,Germany,Greece,Hungary,Ireland,Italy,Latvia,Lithuania,Luxembourg,Malta,Netherlands,Poland,Portugal,Romania,Slovakia,Slovenia,Spain,Sweden Source

Minority Migrant Men`s Attitude Towards FGM:Developing Strategies To Engage Men. (2020)

This study is a Descriptive research regarding All FGM/C with the following characteristics: Author(s): T Axelsson and S Strid FGM/C Type(s): All Health area of focus: None. Objective: to develop strategies to engage men in the process of abandonment of FGM. To examine men`s attitudes and ambivalence towards FGM in a migration context from a normative country. To analyze men`s roles in the FGM process. Study Population: normative minority migrant men Findings: four sets of attitudes towarsd FGM among the informants were identified;Downplay,non involvement,adjustment and curiosity. Geographical coverage Region(s):Northern Europe Country(ies):Sweden Source

Missed opportunities for diagnosis of female genital mutilation (2014)

This study is a Descriptive research regarding All FGM/C with the following characteristics: Author(s): Abdulcadir J,Dugerdil A,Boulvain M,Yaron M,Margairaz C,Irion O,Petignat P FGM/C Type(s): All Health area of focus: Obstretics,Gynaecological. Objective: To investigate missed opportunities for diagnosing female genital mutilation (FGM) at an obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN) department in Switzerland Study Population: Women Findings: The study found that 48 (37.2%) cases, FGM was not mentioned in the medical file. In 34 (26.4%) women,the diagnosis was correct. FGM was identified but erroneously classified in 28 (21.7%) cases. There were no factors (women’s characteristics or FGM type) associated with missed diagnosis Geographical coverage Region(s):Western Europe Country(ies):Switzerland Source

Missing from the debate? A qualitative study exploring the role of communities within interventions to address female genital mutilation in Europe (2018)

This study is a Exploratory research regarding All FGM/C with the following characteristics: Author(s): Connelly,E.,Murray,N.,Baillot,H.,& Howard,N. FGM/C Type(s): All Health area of focus: None. Objective: This study explored the role of potentially affected communities within interventions to address FGM in Europe,examining current practices,promising interventions,and remaining gaps. Study Population: Academics,policy-makers,police officers,NGO staff and community activists in EEA member countries with recognized FGM responses. Findings: Participants emphasized the necessity of community participation and policymakers’ lack of consistent engagement. All showed that communities played a crucial role,although most programs focused on awareness-raising rather than community empowerment,behavior modification,or influence on design,delivery,or assessment of treatments. Despite consensus on the need to engage,support,and empower potentially affected communities and examples of meaningful community participation in addressing FGM (eg,REPLACE,REPLACE 2,Ketenaapak,Tackling FGM Initiative),the role of communities remains inconsistent and further engagement efforts are needed. Geographical coverage Region(s):Western Europe,Eastern Europe,Southern Europe,Northern Europe,Western Asia Country(ies):France,Spain,Netherlands,United Kingdom,Belgium,Ireland,Austria,Belgium,Bulgaria,Croatia,Cyprus,Czechia,Denmark,Estonia,Finland,Germany,Greece,Hungary,Italy,Latvia,Lithuania,Luxembourg,Malta,Poland,Portugal,Romania,Slovakia,Slovenia,Sweden,United Kingdom Source

Mobilize Health Care Providers to Advocate Against FGM/C (2004)

This study is a Descriptive research regarding All FGM/C with the following characteristics: Author(s): Population Council’s FRONTIERS Program FGM/C Type(s): All Health area of focus: Understand the motivations behind this medicalization. Objective: The study’s objectives were to understand the motivations behind this medicalization,and determine the feasibility of using health personnel to communicate messages encouraging the abandonment of FGM/C Study Population: key informants ,health personnel,focus group discussions (including parents,adolescent girls,young married women with girl children,and young married and unmarried men),providers from government,private,and faith-based facilities,antenatal (ANC) clients with girls under age 10, simulated and providers at public and private clinics Findings: Providers and clients cited tradition,cultural identity,symbolic maturity,control of women’s sexuality and fidelity,and marriageability as rationales for cutting. Girls are reportedly being cut at younger ages—some as young as age six,rather than at puberty as was the tradition. Nearly 90 percent of Abagusii interviewees cited nurses and midwives as providers of FGM/C. Only 4 percent cited traditional circumcisers. Among providers,the main rationale for performing FGM/C was financial (64%) or hygiene and safety (10%); other reasons included community pressure and cultural demands. Circumcision by a medical provider is expensive. Awareness of the medical consequences of FGM/C has also affected the type of cut performed. Between 6 percent of providers (self-reported) and 19 percent (reported by simulated clients) said that they would perform,or had performed,circumcision. Less than half of providers and ANC clients knew about laws banning FGM/C or protecting children. However,61 percent of providers and about half of ANC clients agreed that FGM/C violates girls’ rights. Over half (52%) of ANC clients said that they did not intend to cut their daughters. Most providers (86%) said that they were willing to speak against FGM/C; and about 40 percent said that they had discussed the issue; but of those,about half said that they had had difficulties. Just over a third of providers (39%) had ever attended training on FGM/C. Geographical coverage Region(s):Eastern Africa Country(ies):Kenya Source

Modeling and mapping of girls’ female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) in the context of economic,social,and regional disparities: Kenya Demographic and Health Surveys 1998-2014. (2017)

This study is a Descriptive research regarding All FGM/C with the following characteristics: Author(s): Kandala,N. B.,Kinyoki,D.,Sarki,A.,Gathara,D.,Komba,P.,& Shell-Duncan,B. FGM/C Type(s): All Health area of focus: None. Objective: The aim of this research study is analysis ofsuccessive household data forestimatingand revealing trends,similarities,and differences in geographic patterns forthe burden of FGM/C andrelated risk factors among girls ages 14and youngerin Kenya. Study Population: Used DHS data Findings: The prevalence of FGM/C in girls and women ages 15 to 49 years was estimated at 37.6percentin 1998,32.2percentin 2003,27.1percentin 2008-2009,and 21percentin 2014. Counties with persistently high levels of FGM/C are Garissa, Kisii,Mandera,Nyamira,and Wajir. Age at cutting varies by region and ethnic group, with cutting at a much younger age among Muslims and women without university education. Existing studies point to a steady decline in the observed FGM/C prevalence in successive years,yet great variations exist within each survey year in provincial and ethnic prevalence estimates. Geographical coverage Region(s):Eastern Africa Country(ies):Kenya Source

Mother to daughter transmission of Female Genital Cutting in Egypt,Burkina Faso and Senegal (2014)

This study is a Explanatory research regarding All FGM/C with the following characteristics: Author(s): Farina Patrizia,and Livia Elisa Ortensi FGM/C Type(s): All Health area of focus: None. Objective: To assess the determinants of mothers to daughters transmission of female genital cutting (FGC) in Senegal,Burkina Faso and Egypt Study Population: For the purposes of this paper,the analysis was restricted to a sub-sample of the daughters (as reported in the Birth Recode Format and regardless of their residence at the time of the interview) and their mothers. Findings: Using the most recent DHS surveys the study confirms that the main dimension related to daughters’ circumcision is mother’s personal experience as circumcised mothers more likely to perpetrate the practice on daughters. Policies aim at changing this social norm could therefore generate a virtuous circle: for each child who is not circumcised,a risk-free third generation is projected. Factors related to women’s empowerment as better education,higher autonomy and wealth of the family as well social environment against FGC also discourage the continuation of the practice and protect daughters from the risk to be circumcised in each country analyzed. Geographical coverage Region(s):Western Africa,Northern Africa Country(ies):Egypt,Burkina Faso,Senegal Source