title: Accidental genital trauma in the female children in Jordan and the role of forensic medicine.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the frequency and the nature of genital trauma in female children in Jordan, and to stress the role of forensics.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a cross-sectional study conducted between March 2008 and December 2011 in Jordan University Hospital, Amman, Jordan. Sixty-three female children were examined for genital trauma after immediate admission. The mechanism of injury was categorized and reported by the examiners as either straddle, non-straddle blunt, or penetrating.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Straddle injury was the cause of injuries in 90.5% of patients, and contusions were the significant type of injury in 34% of patients, followed by abrasions in both labia majora and labia minora. Only one case suffered from non-intact hymen and 2 had hematuria. These 3 cases (4.7%) required surgical intervention and follow-up after 2 weeks.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Straddle injuries were the main cause of genital trauma and rarely affect the hymen; however, due to the sensitivity of the subject and the severity of the traumas, forensic physicians should provide consultation and cooperate with gynecologists to exclude or confirm hymenal injuries, where empathy is necessary to mitigate tension associated with such injuries for the sake of the child and the parents as well, along with good management of the injury type.
authors.affiliation: Forensic Department, Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University, PO Box 13002, Amman 11942, Jordan, Tel. +962 (6) 5355000. Fax. +962 (6) 5356746. E-mail: imadabdallat@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Emad M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Al-Abdallat
authors.forename: Rayyan A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Al-Ali
authors.forename: Ghada A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Salameh
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005554:Forensic Medicine; D005836:Genitalia, Female / Q000293:injuries*; D006801:Humans; D007597:Jordan