Female genital mutilation and skilled birth attendance among women in sub-Saharan Africa

Abdul-Aziz Seidu,Richard Gyan Aboagye,Barbara Sakyi,Bright Opoku Ahinkorah,Joycelyn Boatemaa Affum,Collins Adu,Edward Kwabena Ameyaw

doi:10.1186/s12905-021-01578-w

Abstract

BackgroundThere is evidence that women who have had their genitals cut suffer substantial difficulties during and/or after childbirth, including the need for a caesarean section, an episiotomy, an extended hospital stay, post-partum bleeding, and maternal fatalities. Whether or not women in sub-Saharan Africa who have undergone female genital mutilation utilize the services of skilled birth attendants during childbirth is unknown. Hence, we examined the association between female genital mutilation and skilled birth attendance in sub-Saharan Africa.MethodsThe data for this study were compiled from 10 sub-Saharan African countries’ most recent Demographic and Health Surveys. In the end, we looked at 57,994 women between the ages of 15 and 49. The association between female genital mutilation and skilled birth attendance was investigated using both fixed and random effects models.ResultsFemale genital mutilation and skilled birth attendance were found to be prevalent in 68.8% and 58.5% of women in sub-Saharan Africa, respectively. Women with a history of female genital mutilation had reduced odds of using skilled birth attendance (aOR = 0.91, 95% CI = 0.86–0.96) than those who had not been circumcised. In Ethiopia, Guinea, Liberia, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, and Togo, women with female genital mutilation had reduced odds of having a trained delivery attendant compared to women in Burkina Faso.ConclusionThis study shed light on the link between female genital mutilation and skilled birth attendance among sub-Saharan African women. The study's findings provide relevant information to government agencies dealing with gender, children, and social protection, allowing them to design specific interventions to prevent female genital mutilation, which is linked to non-use of skilled birth attendance. Also, health education which focuses on childbearing women and their partners are necessary in enhancing awareness about the significance of skilled birth attendance and the health consequences of female genital mutilation.

Highlights

There is evidence that women who have had their genitals cut suffer substantial difficulties during and/or after childbirth, including the need for a caesarean section, an episiotomy, an extended hospital stay, postpartum bleeding, and maternal fatalities
The results showed a significant disparity in Female genital mutilation (FGM) and skilled birth attendance (SBA)
SBA was less prevalent among women who had undergone FGM (67.8%) compared to those who had never undergone FGM (70.3%)

Summary

Introduction

There is evidence that women who have had their genitals cut suffer substantial difficulties during and/or after childbirth, including the need for a caesarean section, an episiotomy, an extended hospital stay, postpartum bleeding, and maternal fatalities. FGM is a societal phenomenon in some regions of Africa, linked to social mores and religion, and justified by the preservation of virginity, which is a requirement for marriage, initiation ceremonies, identity, conjugal fidelity, honour, purity, and increased fertility [2, 4, 5] Many contextual factors, such as highly unequal cultures in which gender prescriptions demand girls’ virginity before marriage, have been proven to reinforce FGM. The gender perspective of FGM is rooted in the socio-cultural norm that emphasises the need for men to control women’s sexuality, prevent promiscuity, ensure premarital virginity, marital fidelity and male sexual satisfaction. This is often being widely considered as a result of patriarchal oppression and the subjugation of women [6]

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion