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How does infibulation alter the vaginal opening?

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Body modifications and mutilations Peruvian elongated skulls, trephined male (left) and intact female (right), c. 1000 bc.

Infibulation, categorized as Type 3 female genital cutting, is a severe procedure that significantly alters the vaginal opening. During this process, all or parts of the external genitalia—specifically the clitoris, labia minora, and labia majora—are removed.1

Following the excision, the remaining tissue is sewn, pinned, or otherwise caused to fuse together as it heals, which drastically reduces the size of the vagina opening. This practice is a violation of human rights that causes profound physical and psychological harm, including severe bleeding, chronic infections, and long-term complications such as difficulty with urination, menstruation, and childbirth. International health organizations, including the World Health Organization, have called for the total abandonment of this practice due to its devastating impact on the health and well-being of women and girls.21