“What Motivates Her”: Motivations for Considering Labial Reduction Surgery as Recounted on Women’s Online Communities and Surgeons’ Websites (2014)
This study is a Descriptive research regarding IV FGM/C with the following characteristics:
Author(s): Sandra Zwier
FGM/C Type(s): IV
Health area of focus: None.
Objective: To analyze motivations for considering labial reduction surgery expressed by women on online communities,look at the role of the women’s age and nationality,compared findings with motivations indicated on the websites of an international sample of surgery providers,and identify similarities to and differences from what is known from extant studies.
Study Population:
Findings: Emotional discomfort regarding self-appearance and social and sexual relationships was found to be the most frequent and most prominent motivation for considering labial reduction surgery on women’s online communities,regardless of age and national background. Functional discomfort and desired emotional enhancement ranked second. Very few age or national differences were found. The surgeons’ websites recognized functional discomfort more and elaborated upon emotional issues in sexual relationships less than members of the online communities. The study concluded that feelings of emotional and psychosexual distress in addition to functional distress were a highly prevalent motivation among women considering labial reduction surgery. Emotional distress appeared to be greater and more freely emphasized when women communicated on online communities,while functional issues appeared to receive greater notice on surgery provider’s websites
Geographical coverage
Region(s):Western Europe,Northern Europe,Australia and New Zealand,North America,Southern Africa
Country(ies):Australia,Canada,Ireland,Netherlands,New Zealand,South Africa,United Kingdom,United States