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Why can female genital cutting create serious risks during childbirth?
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Body modifications and mutilations
Peruvian elongated skulls, trephined male (left) and intact female (right), c. 1000 bc.
Female genital cutting (FGC) creates serious risks during childbirth primarily because the procedureāparticularly infibulationāinvolves the removal of external genitalia and the narrowing of the vaginal opening through sewing or fusion.1
This physical alteration can lead to significant complications during labor, including:
- Obstructed Labor: The reduced vaginal opening can create a physical barrier, causing long delays during the delivery process.1
- Increased Risk of Death: These delays can lead to the death of both the mother and the child.1
- Tissue Damage: Prolonged pressure during a difficult birth can deprive vaginal and bladder tissues of blood, potentially resulting in the formation of an obstetric fistula, which causes the uncontrollable passage of urine or feces.21
FGC is a harmful practice that violates the fundamental human rights of women and girls, often causing lifelong physical and psychological trauma. International organizations, including the World Health Organization, have consistently called for the total abandonment of these procedures to protect the health and dignity of those affected.1