Physicians’ Attitude toward Female Genital Plastic Surgery: A Multinational Survey (2013)
This study is a Descriptive research regarding IV FGM/C with the following characteristics:
Author(s): Lior Lowenstein,Andrea Salonia,Arik Shechter,Hartmut Porst,Andrea Burri,and Yacov Reisman
FGM/C Type(s): IV
Health area of focus: prevalence of demand for female genital plastic surgery (FGPS) .
Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of demand for female genital plastic surgery (FGPS) and to explore the attitudes of sexual medicine specialists toward indications for FGPS
Study Population: Attendees of the 2012 Annual Congress of the European Society for Sexual Medicine (ESSM) in Amsterdam,the Netherlands
Findings: Overall,a total of 360 physicians (mean age 48 years; range 23–72) from different medical disciplines completed the survey. There were diverse responses among participants regarding the definition of abnormal labial appearance and the techniques for labial reduction they perform. Overall,65% responded that female genital plastic surgery (FGPS) was frequently or occasionally demanded by the patients they treated. Likewise,most physicians (63%) reported that they never perform FGPS. Conversely,only 14% reported that they either frequently or occasionally performed FGPS. Almost one-third of participants believed that FGPS (labial surgery) improved sexual function. Fifty-two percent of participants answered that they believed that self-image was the main reason for women to ask for labial surgery. Self-image was regarded as the main factor in the demand for FGPS
Geographical coverage
Region(s):Western Europe
Country(ies):Netherlands