"A lot of them have scary tears during childbirth…" experiences of healthcare workers who care for genitally mutilated females.

Despite concerted efforts to curb Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C), it is still a contributor to the high morbidity and mortality rates among females in Africa. According to available literature, the experiences of healthcare workers who care for the genitally mutilated females in Nigeria h...

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Main Authors: Oluchukwu Loveth Obiora, Johanna Elizabeth Maree, Nokuthula Gloria Nkosi-Mafutha
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2021-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0246130&type=printable
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author Oluchukwu Loveth Obiora
Johanna Elizabeth Maree
Nokuthula Gloria Nkosi-Mafutha
author_facet Oluchukwu Loveth Obiora
Johanna Elizabeth Maree
Nokuthula Gloria Nkosi-Mafutha
author_sort Oluchukwu Loveth Obiora
collection DOAJ
description Despite concerted efforts to curb Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C), it is still a contributor to the high morbidity and mortality rates among females in Africa. According to available literature, the experiences of healthcare workers who care for the genitally mutilated females in Nigeria have not been described, hindering efforts towards ending this procedure through evidence-based, community-led interventions. This qualitative study described the experiences of healthcare workers caring for the genitally mutilated females in South-Eastern Nigeria. In-depth interviews conducted with 17 participants resulted in two themes and five sub-themes. The participants faced major challenges in caring for these females as the complications of FGM/C resulted in situations requiring advanced skills for which they were ill-prepared. Irrespective of this complex situation, the participants believed FGM/C was an age-old cultural practice; some even supported its continuation. The solution to this problem is not simple. However, educational programmes involving all cadres of healthcare workers could assist with eradicating this practice. Also, enforcing the anti-FGMC law could enhance the eradication of this procedure.
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spelling doaj-art-b60fb812ff05412f9c41b151e2231d962025-08-20T02:17:09ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032021-01-01161e024613010.1371/journal.pone.0246130"A lot of them have scary tears during childbirth…" experiences of healthcare workers who care for genitally mutilated females.Oluchukwu Loveth ObioraJohanna Elizabeth MareeNokuthula Gloria Nkosi-MafuthaDespite concerted efforts to curb Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C), it is still a contributor to the high morbidity and mortality rates among females in Africa. According to available literature, the experiences of healthcare workers who care for the genitally mutilated females in Nigeria have not been described, hindering efforts towards ending this procedure through evidence-based, community-led interventions. This qualitative study described the experiences of healthcare workers caring for the genitally mutilated females in South-Eastern Nigeria. In-depth interviews conducted with 17 participants resulted in two themes and five sub-themes. The participants faced major challenges in caring for these females as the complications of FGM/C resulted in situations requiring advanced skills for which they were ill-prepared. Irrespective of this complex situation, the participants believed FGM/C was an age-old cultural practice; some even supported its continuation. The solution to this problem is not simple. However, educational programmes involving all cadres of healthcare workers could assist with eradicating this practice. Also, enforcing the anti-FGMC law could enhance the eradication of this procedure.https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0246130&type=printable
spellingShingle Oluchukwu Loveth Obiora
Johanna Elizabeth Maree
Nokuthula Gloria Nkosi-Mafutha
"A lot of them have scary tears during childbirth…" experiences of healthcare workers who care for genitally mutilated females.
PLoS ONE
title "A lot of them have scary tears during childbirth…" experiences of healthcare workers who care for genitally mutilated females.
title_full "A lot of them have scary tears during childbirth…" experiences of healthcare workers who care for genitally mutilated females.
title_fullStr "A lot of them have scary tears during childbirth…" experiences of healthcare workers who care for genitally mutilated females.
title_full_unstemmed "A lot of them have scary tears during childbirth…" experiences of healthcare workers who care for genitally mutilated females.
title_short "A lot of them have scary tears during childbirth…" experiences of healthcare workers who care for genitally mutilated females.
title_sort a lot of them have scary tears during childbirth experiences of healthcare workers who care for genitally mutilated females
url https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0246130&type=printable
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