Female genital self-image in women with and without female genital mutilation/cutting in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Introduction - The consequences of female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) on female genital self-image are not known.<p>

<p>Aim - To assess whether women with and without FGM/C differed with regard to female genital self-image.<p>

<p>Methods - A survey was administered to a group of women attending the King Abdulaziz University Hospital obstetrics and gynecology clinic from December 2016 to August 2017. 963 consecutive adult women seen at the clinic completed the survey.<p>

<p>Main outcome measures - The main outcome measure of this study was female genital self-image being assessed with the female genital self-image scale (FGSIS).<p>

<p>Results - One-fifth (18.2%) of the women self-reported having undergone FGM/C as young girls. Women with FGM/C had a similar FGSIS score as women with no FGM/C (21.3 ± 4.6, n = 175 vs 21.6 ± 4.8, n = 756, analysis of variance, P = .37). In multivariate regression analysis, only level of education remained independently associated with the FGSIS score. Women with some university education had a greater mean FGSIS score than women with no university education (22.1 ± 4.49, n = 564 vs 20.8 ± 5.03, n = 399, P < .0001).<p>

<p>Conclusions - Women with and without FGM/C in a Saudi Arabian clinic generally had a similarly positive genital self-image. Only level of education was independently associated with the FGSIS score.