Female circumcision can negatively affects female sexual function and psychological health
Abdalla, A., Hussein, D., Ahmed, S., Ali, S., Hussien, M., Abdel Hafeez, N., Ali, M. (2025). Female circumcision can negatively affects female sexual function and psychological health. EKB Journal Management System, 6(1), 228-241. doi: 10.21608/ejmr.2024.319136.1690
Ahmed G. S. Abdalla; Dina A. Hussein; Samar S. Ahmed; Salwa Mahmoud Ali; Mohamed A Hussien; Noha Gamal Abdel Hafeez; Motee R. Ali. "Female circumcision can negatively affects female sexual function and psychological health". EKB Journal Management System, 6, 1, 2025, 228-241. doi: 10.21608/ejmr.2024.319136.1690
Abdalla, A., Hussein, D., Ahmed, S., Ali, S., Hussien, M., Abdel Hafeez, N., Ali, M. (2025). 'Female circumcision can negatively affects female sexual function and psychological health', EKB Journal Management System, 6(1), pp. 228-241. doi: 10.21608/ejmr.2024.319136.1690
Abdalla, A., Hussein, D., Ahmed, S., Ali, S., Hussien, M., Abdel Hafeez, N., Ali, M. Female circumcision can negatively affects female sexual function and psychological health. EKB Journal Management System, 2025; 6(1): 228-241. doi: 10.21608/ejmr.2024.319136.1690

Female circumcision can negatively affects female sexual function and psychological health

Egyptian Journal of Medical Research
Volume 6, Issue 1, January 2025, Page 228-241  XML PDF (723.39 K)
Document Type: Original Article
DOI: 10.21608/ejmr.2024.319136.1690
View on SCiNiTO View on SCiNiTO
Authors
Ahmed G. S. Abdalla1; Dina A. Hussein email 1; Samar S. Ahmed2; Salwa Mahmoud Ali3; Mohamed A Hussien3; Noha Gamal Abdel Hafeez4; Motee R. Ali5
1Forensic medicine and clinical toxicology department, Faculty of medicine, Beni-Suef University, Beni- Suef, Egypt
2Public health department, Faculty of Medicine, Suez University, Egypt
3Obstetrics and Gynecology department, Faculty of medicine, Beni- Suef University, Beni-Suef, 62514 Egypt
4Psychology department, Faculty of Arts, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef,
5Forensic medicine and clinical toxicology department, Faculty of medicine, Beni- Suef University, Beni-Suef, 62514 Egypt
Abstract
Background: Female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) is any procedures that cause injury to the female external genitalia without medical causes. The existing literature is contradictory regarding effects of FGM/C on sexual functions. Objectives: to identify the differences between circumcised and non-circumcised females in sexual function, psychological health and female genital hormones. Methods: This was a case control study performed on 115 females divided into 2 groups; group (A) including 21 females not exposed to FGM and group (B) including 94 females exposed to any type of FGM. All the participants were subjected to full history taking and laboratory assessment of FSH, LH, prolactin, Estradiol (E2), free and total testosterone levels. Sexual functions were assessed using the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) questionnaire and psychological health effects were assessed using the Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale (DASS-21) questionnaire. Results: 94 (81.7%) of females were circumcised and the rest 21 (18.3%) non circumcised. From the circumcised females; 81 (86.2%) were of type 1 and the remaining 13 (13.5%) were of type 2. The total FSFI score was significantly lower in circumcised females (25.16±2.93) compared to non-circumcised females (28.10±2.98). The majority of females with circumcision suffered from moderate stress (50%), moderate anxiety (37.2%) and mild depression (34.2%). There was no effect of FGM/C on hormonal profile. Conclusions: FGM/C is associated with reduced sexual functions as well as significant reduction in desire, arousal and satisfaction domains. Depression, anxiety and stress were higher in circumcised females; however the difference was non-significant.
Keywords
Female circumcision; Mutilation; FSFI score; DASS-21 score
References
  1. World Health Organization (WHO). Key Facts and Overview: Female genital mutilation (who.int), 5 February, 2024, https://who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/female-genital-mutilation
  2. European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE). Female genital mutilation How many girls are at risk in Italy?. https://eige.europa.eu/sites/default/files/documents/20182881_mh0218658enn_pdf.pdf
  3. United Nation of Population Fund (UNPF). Calling for the End of the Medicalization of Female Genital Mutilation. June 2023. http://FGM_Policy_Brief_On_Medicalization_Brochure_-_PDF_June_18.pdf (unfpa.org)
  4. Emmanuel Kabengele Mpinga,1,* Aurélie Macias,1 Jennifer Hasselgard-Rowe,1 Ngianga-Bakwin Kandala,2,3 Tshimungu Kandolo Félicien,4 Henk Verloo,5 Ngoyi K. Zacharie Bukonda,6 and Philippe Chastonay Female genital mutilation: a systematic review of research on its economic and social impacts across four decades. Global Health Action, 2016; 9: 10.3402/gha.v9.31489.
  5. Muthumbi J, Svanemyr J, Scolaro E, Temmerman M, Say L. Female genital mutilation: a literature review of the current status of legislation and policies in 27 African countries and Yemen. Afr J Reprod Health. 2015;19:32–40. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Rizky Akbar, Indonesia Muhammad Pramadiathalla Tania Daniela. Female Genital Mutilation as Violence Against Women: A Narrative of Promoting Abandonment. ndonesian Journal of Law and Society (2021) 2:2 121-144 ISSN 2722-4074 | https://doi.org/10.19184/ijls.v2i2.24565 Published by the University of Jember, Indonesia Available online 30 September 2021.
  7. Ivazzo C., Sardi T. A., Gkegkes I. D. Female genital mutilation and infections: a systematic review of the clinical evidence. Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics. 2013;287(6):1137–1149. doi: 10.1007/s00404-012-2708-5. [PubMed] [CrossRef] [Google Scholar]
  8. Elliot Klein, 1 Elizabeth Helzner, 2 Michelle Shayowitz, 1 Stephan Kohlhoff, 1 and Tamar A. Smith-Norowitz Female Genital Mutilation: Health Consequences and Complications—A Short Literature Review. Obstet Gynecol Int. 2018; 2018: 7365715. Published online 2018 Jul 10. doi: 10.1155/2018/7365715
  9. World Health Organization (WHO). Health risks of female genital mutilation (FGM), 2016. https://www.who.int/reproductivehealth/topics/fgm/health_consequ ences_fgm/en/
  10. Zakaria Mahran Obaid, Ahmed Wahhed-Allah Amer, Mohammed Abdel Fatah El Mahdy, Amira Elmaadawy Barakat Mohammed. Evaluation of Psychological and Sexual Effects of Female Genital Mutilation (Circumcision). The Egyptian Journal of Hospital Medicine (January 2019) Vol. 74 (4), P:726-734.
  11. Rosen, C. Brown, J. Heiman, S. Leiblum, C. Meston, R. Shabsigh, D. Ferguson, R. D'Agostino R. The Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI): a multidimensional self-report instrument for the assessment of female sexual function. Journal of sex & marital therapy. 2000 Apr 1;26(2):191-208.
  12. Anis TH, Aboul Gheit S, Awad HH, Saied HS. Effects of female genital cutting on the sexual function of Egyptian women. A cross-sectional study. The journal of sexual medicine. 2012 Oct;9(10):2682-92.
  13. Lovibond PF, Lovibond SH. The structure of negative emotional states: Comparison of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS) with the Beck Depression and Anxiety Inventories. Behaviour research and therapy. 1995 Mar 1;33(3):335-43.
  14. Taouk ML, Lovibond PF, Laube R. Psychometric properties of a Chinese version of the short Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS21). Report for new South Wales transcultural mental health centre, Cumberland Hospital, Sydney. 2001 Mar.
  15. Paslakis G, Farré JM, Tolosa-Sola I, Palazón-Llecha A, Domínguez-Cagnon H, Jiménez M, Martínez Rosselló B, Barri-Soldevila P, Mestre-Bach G. Clinical features associated with female genital mutilation/cutting: a pilot longitudinal study. Journal of clinical medicine. 2020 Jul 22;9(8):2340.
  16. Nzinga AM, De Andrade Castanheira S, Hermann J, Feipel V, Kipula AJ, Bertuit J. Consequences of female genital Mutilation on Women’s sexual health–systematic review and Meta-analysis. The Journal of sexual medicine. 2021 Apr;18(4):750-60.
  17. Mohamed AH, Mohamud RY, Mohamud HA, Eraslan A, Gur M, Omar AA, Cimen S. Somalian women with female genital mutilation had increased risk of female sexual dysfunction: a cross-sectional observational study. Scientific Reports. 2022 Sep 17;12(1):15633.
  18. Ismail SA, Abbas AM, Habib D, Morsy H, Saleh MA, Bahloul M. Effect of female genital mutilation/cutting; types I and II on sexual function: case-controlled study. Reproductive health. 2017 Dec;14:1-6.
  19. Esho T, Kimani S, Nyamongo I, Kimani V, Muniu S, Kigondu C, Ndavi P, Guyo J. The ‘heat’goes away: sexual disorders of married women with female genital mutilation/cutting in Kenya. Reproductive Health. 2017 Dec;14:1-9.
  20. Pérez-López FR, Ornat L, López-Baena MT, Pérez-Roncero GR, Tajada-Duaso MC, Chedrau P. Association of female genital mutilation and female sexual dysfunction: a systematic review and meta-analysis. European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology. 2020 Nov 1;254:236-44.
  21. Obaid ZM, Amer AW, El Mahdy MA, Mohammed AE. Evaluation of psychological and sexual effects of female genital mutilation (Circumcision). The Egyptian Journal of Hospital Medicine. 2019 Jan 1;74(4):726-34.
  22. Hamad AH, Ahmed HM, Ali AN, Saber AF, Hamad AH, Naif A. Psychosocial and Sexual Aspects of Female Genital Circumcision in a Sample of Kurdish Women in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Cureus. 2024 Jul 19;16(7).
  23. Piroozi B, Alinia C, Safari H, Kazemi-Karyani A, Moradi G, Farhadifar F, Yousefi F, Mohamadi Bolbanabad A, Azadnia A. Effect of female genital mutilation on mental health: a case–control study. The European Journal of Contraception & Reproductive Health Care. 2020 Jan 2;25(1):33-6.
  24. Ali HA, Arafa AE, Abd Allah NA, Fahim AS. Prevalence of female circumcision among young women in Beni-Suef, Egypt: a cross-sectional study. Journal of pediatric and adolescent gynecology. 2018 Dec 1;31(6):571-4.
Statistics
Article View: 108
PDF Download: 37