Women's Health : Dangers Of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)

http://endingfgm.blogspot.com

Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) popularly know as female circumcision is yet to be eradicated especially in Africa. Although the World Health Organisation has been taking Measures to stop this inhumane act.

KEY THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT (FGM)

1. Female genital mutilation (FGM) includes procedures that intentionally alter or cause injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons.

2. The procedure has no health benefits for girls and women.

3.Procedures can cause severe bleeding and problems urinating, and later cysts, infections, as well as complications in childbirth and increased risk of newborn deaths.

4.More than 200 million girls and women alive today have been cut in 30 countries in Africa, the Middle East and Asia where FGM is concentrated

http://news.ava360.com

5.FGM is mostly carried out on young girls between infancy and age 15. FGM is a violation of the human rights of girls and women.

6.The practice is mostly carried out by traditional circumcisers, who often play other central roles in communities, such as attending childbirths. In many settings, health care providers perform FGM due to the erroneous belief that the procedure is safer when medicalized.
WHO strongly urges health professionals not to perform such procedures.

7.FGM is recognized internationally as a violation of the human rights of girls and women. It reflects deep-rooted inequality between the sexes, and constitutes an extreme form of discrimination against women. It is nearly always carried out on minors and is a violation of the rights of children.
The practice also violates a person's rights to health, security and physical integrity, the right to be free from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, and the right to life when the procedure results in death.
http://who.int

TYPES OF FGM
Female genital mutilation is classified into 4 major types.

http://nairaland.com

Type 1
Often referred to as clitoridectomy, this is the partial or total removal of the clitoris (a small, sensitive and erectile part of the female genitals), and in very rare cases, only the prepuce (the fold of skin surrounding the clitoris).

Type 2
Often referred to as excision, this is the partial or total removal of the clitoris and the labia minora (the inner folds of the vulva), with or without excision of the labia majora (the outer folds of skin of the vulva ).

Type 3
Often referred to as infibulation, this is the narrowing of the vaginal opening through the creation of a covering seal. The seal is formed by cutting and repositioning the labia minora, or labia majora, sometimes through stitching, with or without removal of the clitoris (clitoridectomy)

Type 4
This includes all other harmful procedures to the female genitalia for non-medical purposes, e.g. pricking, piercing, incising, scraping and cauterizing the genital area.
No health benefits, only harm

IS THERE ANY HEALTH BENEFIT

FGM has no health benefits, and it harms girls and women in many ways. It involves removing and damaging healthy and normal female genital tissue, and interferes with the natural functions of girls' and women's bodies. Generally speaking, risks increase with increasing severity of the procedures.

Sharp Objects Used Locally for FGM
http://who.int

IMMEDIATE CONSEQUENCES OF FGM
1.Severe pain ,excessive bleeding (haemorrhage) of genital tissues 2.Swelling,fever,infections e.g., tetanus urinary problems, wound healing problems, injury to surrounding genital tissues,
3.Shock and death.

Long-term consequences
**DANGERS !!! **

1. Urinary problems (painful urination, urinary tract infections);

2. Vaginal problems (discharge, itching, bacterial vaginosis and other infections);

3.Menstrual problems (painful menstruations, difficulty in passing menstrual blood, etc.);scar tissue and keloid;

4.Sexual problems (pain during intercourse, decreased satisfaction, etc.);increased risk of childbirth complications (difficult delivery, excessive bleeding, caesarean section, need to resuscitate the baby, etc.) and newborn deaths;need for later surgeries: for example, the FGM procedure that seals or narrows a vaginal opening (type 3) needs to be cut open later to allow for sexual intercourse and childbirth (deinfibulation).

1. Sometimes genital tissue is stitched again several times, including after childbirth, hence the woman goes through repeated opening and closing procedures, further increasing both immediate and long risks of FGM such as ;psychological problems.
   (depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, low self-esteem, etc.);health complications of female genital mutilation.

http://change.org

Who is at risk?
Procedures are mostly carried out on young girls sometime between infancy and adolescence, and occasionally on adult women. More than 3 million girls are estimated to be at risk for FGM annually.
More than 200 million girls and women alive today have been cut in 30 countries in Africa, the Middle East and Asia where FGM is concentrated.

http://unicef.com

All Hands must be on deck to protect female infants, girls and women from FGM
because most times the circumcisers use the same sharp object to cut victims thereby passing other forms of infection to these victims.

Lets discourage Mothers who are still doing this ignorantly.

Lets educate older women who like to pass it down as a tradition to stop

Fathers protect your female children , Husbands protect your wives, Brothers protect and stand for your sisters.
Lets keep Fighting Against FGM !!!

http://who.int

Thanks For Your Time
❤❤❤
@nigeria-yogagal