Female
Genital Mutilation (FGM)
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http://www.middle-east-info.org/league/somalia/fmgpictures.htm
MAP
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Type
I female genital mutilation,
from American Academy of Pediatrics, PEDIATRICS Vol. 102 No. 1 Jul 1998,
pp. 153-156:
"Type I FGM, often termed clitorectomy, involves excision of the
skin surrounding the clitoris with or without excision of part or all
of the clitoris (Fig 2). When this procedure is performed in infants and
young girls, a portion of or all of the clitoris and surrounding tissues
may be removed. If only the clitoral prepuce is removed, the physical
manifestation of Type I FGM may be subtle, necessitating a careful examination
of the clitoris and adjacent structures for recognition."
Type
II female genital mutilation,
from American Academy of Pediatrics, PEDIATRICS Vol. 102 No. 1 Jul 1998,
pp. 153-156:
"Type II FGM, referred to as excision, is the removal of the entire
clitoris and part or all of the labia minora. Crude stitches of catgut
or thorns may be used to control bleeding from the clitoral artery and
raw tissue surfaces, or mud poultices may be applied directly to the perineum.
Patients with Type II FGM do not have the typical contour of the anterior
perineal structures resulting from the absence of the labia minora and
clitoris. The vaginal opening is not covered in the Type II procedure."
Type
III female genital mutilation,
American Academy of Pediatrics, PEDIATRICS Vol. 102 No. 1 Jul 1998, pp.
153-156:
"Type III FGM, known as infibulation, is the most severe form in
which the entire clitoris and some or all of the labia minora are excised,
and incisions are made in the labia majora to create raw surfaces. The
labial raw surfaces are stitched together to cover the urethra and vaginal
introitus, leaving a small posterior opening for urinary and menstrual
flow. In Type III FGM, the patient will have a firm band of tissue replacing
the labia and obliteration of the urethra and vaginal openings."
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Type
IV female genital mutilation,
American Academy of Pediatrics, PEDIATRICS Vol. 102 No. 1 Jul 1998, pp.
153-156:
"Type IV includes different practices of variable severity including
pricking, piercing or incision of the clitoris and/or labia; stretching
of the clitoris and/or labia; cauterization of the clitoris; and scraping
or introduction of corrosive substances into the vagina.
The physical complications associated with FGM may be acute or chronic. Early, life-threatening risks include hemorrhage, shock secondary to blood loss or pain, local infection and failure to heal, septicemia, tetanus, trauma to adjacent structures, and urinary retention.13,14 Infibulation (Type III) is often associated with long-term gynecologic or urinary tract difficulties. Common gynecologic problems involve the development of painful subcutaneous dermoid cysts and keloid formation along excised tissue edges. More serious complications include pelvic infection, dysmenorrhea, hematocolpos, painful intercourse, infertility, recurrent urinary tract infection, and urinary calculus formation. Pelvic examination is difficult or impossible for women who have been infibulated, and vaginal childbirth requires an episiotomy to avoid serious vulvar lacerations.
Less
well-understood are the psychological, sexual, and social consequences
of FGM, because little research has been conducted in countries where
the practice is endemic. However, personal accounts by women who have
had a ritual genital procedure recount anxiety before the event, terror
at being seized and forcibly held during the event, great difficulty during
childbirth, and lack of sexual pleasure during intercourse.
............