Clitoral Cyst Complicating Neonatal Female Circumcision in a 6 Years Old Child: A Management Plan to Delay Surgical Excision Until Puberty (2019)
This study is a Descriptive research regarding Not specified FGM/C with the following characteristics:
Author(s): Edeh,A. J.,Anekpo,C. C.,Eze,B. U.,& Chukwubuike,K. E
FGM/C Type(s): Not specified
Health area of focus: Gynecological.
Objective: Among many traditional African societies,including the Ibos of south eastern Nigeria,ritual circumcision has a strong irrational bias and many parents continue to believe in old myths or conjure up new ones to justify this practice. Despite the implementation of laws prohibiting female genital mutilation/cutting Among many traditional African societies,including the Ibos of south eastern Nigeria,ritual circumcision has a strong irrational bias and many parents continue to believe in old myths or conjure up new ones to justify this practice. Despite the implementation of laws prohibiting female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C),this practice is still performed on nearly 2-3 million women annually [1,2]. We report a case of an unfortunate 6-year-old child who had neonatal ritual circumcision in Enugu,Nigeria. This was complicated by a small clitoral cyst which is asymptomatic but worries the parents. To prevent further physical and psychological trauma to this child we advised delay of excision surgery until puberty unless the cyst becomes complicated
Study Population: 4 year old female child
Findings: The parents of this child are well educated. They are aware that ritual female circumcision is no longer accepted by all but believe that it helps to induce chastity especially in this age of unrestricted exposure of children to promiscuous information. This belief is strengthened by the perceived consequences should there be an adolescent pregnancy: unsafe abortions,loss of education,early marriage or children out of marriage. Other reasons for embracing circumcision include social acceptance,the safeguard of virginity before marriage,the promotion of marriageability [5,10] rite of passage to adulthood,as part of history or cultural tradition of the specific ethic group [5]. Traditional medical practices and beliefs enjoy a lot of patronage in Nigeria and across various educational and social strata [11]. These are commonest in bone setting,and traditional birth attendants who incedantally are the ritual circurmcisers. In African,FGM/C is still a deeply entrenched social norm and its eradication appears slow and difficult. In this regard continued advocacy,legal frameworks and measures to address the underlying sociocultural traditions and problems (sex education,family planning and legalized abortion) will eventually abolish this practice.
Geographical coverage
Region(s):Western Africa
Country(ies):Nigeria