Clinical characteristics of well women seeking labial reduction surgery: a prospective study (2011)
This study is a Descriptive research regarding IV FGM/C with the following characteristics:
Author(s): NS Crouch,R Deans,L Michala,L-M Liao,and SM Creighton
FGM/C Type(s): IV
Health area of focus: None.
Objective: To assess clinical characteristics and expectations in well women requesting elective labial reduction surgery
Study Population: Women attending an outpatient gynaecology clinic
Findings: All 33 women presenting for labial reduction were included in the study and the mean age was 23 years (range 11–45 years). Twenty-eight women (84%) self-identified as white,two as black (6%),one as Asian (3%),one as southeast Asian (3%) and one as mixed race (3%). Eight participants (24%) were aged 16 or under (all of whom were in full-time education). Of the 25 women who were aged 17 or above,two (8%) had no qualifications,ten (40%) had GCSEs,and 13 (52%) had (or were pursuing) tertiary education. Twenty-two (66%) of the participants were single,ten (30%) were in a relationship and one (3%) did not give information. Five (15%) of the participants had children. Most of the women (29; 87%) were referred by their general practitioner,two (6%) were referred by obstetric and gynaecology registrars,and two (6%) by a consultant paediatric endocrinologist. None of the participants had undergone previous labial surgery but one woman had undergone two cosmetic rhinoplasties and breast augmentation surgery. In terms of previous mental health history,four (12%) reported having been psychological services users in the past,and one (3%) had received psychiatric treatment. Eleven (33%) of the participants reported having seen advertisements for FGCS,five (15%) reported having looked up medical illustrations and four (12%) reported having viewed pornography. When asked what they would like to achieve with surgery,20 (60%) women stated a wish to make the labia smaller to ‘improve’ appearance,six (18%) to reduce discomfort,three (9%) to improve confidence,two (6%) to improve experience of coitus,one (3%) to ‘make clean’,and one (3%) said she was seeking advice about the need for surgery (see Figure 2). Nineteen of 31 women (61%) who answered the question reported having never been sexually active with a partner. In three women there was significant labial asymmetry and surgery was offered. In all other women,all labial dimensions were within the normal range. It was therefore surprising that all of the study participants and their referring doctors felt that surgery was an appropriate treatment. Despite reassurances that their labia were normal,40% of the participants remained keen to pursue surgery by any other available route. The study concludes that many women seeking labial reduction surgery have normal genitalia that are not different from those of women not seeking surgery.
Geographical coverage
Region(s):Northern Europe
Country(ies):United Kingdom,United Kingdom