Chronic Vulvar Pain After Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting: A Retrospective Study (2021)
This study is a Descriptive research regarding All FGM/C with the following characteristics:
Author(s): Yara B.,Leen A. and Jasmine A.
FGM/C Type(s): All
Health area of focus: Gynaecological: Prevalence and etiologies of vulvar pain in women with FGM/C..
Objective: To study the prevalence and possible etiologies of chronic vulvar pain among women living with FGM/C.
Study Population: Women who consulted a specialized clinic for women with FGM/C at Gynecology Division of the Geneva University
Hospitals between April 1,2010 and December 31,2017.
Findings: Main outcome measures
Prevalence and etiologies of vulvar pain in women with FGM/C.
Chronic vulvar pain was present in 14 women (2.8%). Pain was unprovoked in one case (7.1%) and provoked in the 13 other cases (92.9%). In most of the cases,women presented vulvar pain related to scar complications such as clitoral or peri-clitoral adhesions or scar tissue (n = 3,21.4%),bridle scars (n = 1,7.1%),post-traumatic neuromas (n = 2,14.3%) and vulvar cysts (n = 6,42.9%),the latter being found more frequently in women with FGM/C type III. In 2 cases (14.3%) of chronic vulvar pain,no lesions other than FGM/C were visible at clinical examination. Among these 14 women,12 suffered from superficial dyspareunia as well. The remaining ones had not had any sexual contact for several years. Dyspareunia was present in 126 women (24.9%),among which 75 patients (14.8%) suffered from superficial dyspareunia and 25 patients (4.9%) complained of deep dyspareunia. Fourteen women (2.8%) reported both superficial and deep dyspareunia. Twelve women (2.3%) reported dyspareunia with no specified localization documented in the medical charts. Dyspareunia was significantly more frequent among infibulated women compared to women with FGM/C different from type III (P = .014).
Conclusion
Chronic vulvar pain after FGM/C is probably associated with scar complications and FGM/C type III (infibulation). Dyspareunia is more frequent in women with FGM/C type III
Geographical coverage
Region(s):Western Europe
Country(ies):Switzerland