Citation

Rouzi AA, Berg RC, Sahly N, Alkafy S, Alzaban F, Abduljabbar H. Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol. 2017; 217(1): 62.e1-62.e6.

Affiliation

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2017, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.ajog.2017.02.044

PMID

28267442

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) is a cultural practice that involves several types of removal or other injury to the external female genitalia for non-medical reasons. While much international research has focused on the health consequences of the practice, little is known about sexual functioning among women with various types of FGM/C.

OBJECTIVE(S): To assess the impact of FGM/C on the sexual functioning of Sudanese women. STUDY DESIGN: This is a cross-sectional study conducted at Doctor Erfan and Bagedo Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Eligible women completed a survey and a clinical examination, which documented and verified women's type of FGM/C. The main outcome measure was female sexual function, as assessed by the Arabic Female Sexual Function Index (ArFSFI).

RESULTS: 107 eligible women completed the survey and the gynecological exam, which revealed that 39% of the women had FGM/C type I, 25% had type II, and 36% had type III. Reliability of self-report of the type of FGM/C was low, with underreporting of the extent of the procedure. The results showed that 92.5% of the women scored lower than the ArFSFI cut-off point for sexual dysfunction. The multivariable regression analyses showed that sexual dysfunction was significantly greater with more extensive type of FGM/C, across all sexual function domains (desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction, and pain) and overall.

CONCLUSION(S): The study documents that a substantial proportion of women subjected to FGM/C experience sexual dysfunction. It shows that the anatomical extent of FGM/C is related to the severity of sexual dysfunction.

Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Language: en

Keywords

FGM/C; Saudi Arabia; Sexual Function; Sudanese