title: Female genital mutilation and efforts to achieve Millennium Development Goals 3, 4, and 5 in southeast Nigeria.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the prevalence of female genital mutilation (FGM), the common forms of FGM, reasons for the practice, associated obstetric outcomes, and how these have affected efforts to achieve Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 3, 4, and 5 in southeast Nigeria.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective descriptive study of parturients in southeast Nigeria was conducted from January to December 2012. All primigravid women attending delivery services at 2 health institutions during the study period were recruited, examined, and classified using the 2008 WHO classification for FGM.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age of the 516 participants was 27.24±4.80 years and most (66.3%) had undergone FGM. Type II FGM was the most common form, accounting for 59.6% of cases. Most FGM procedures were performed in infancy (97.1%) and for cultural reasons (60.8%). Women who had undergone FGM had significantly higher risk for episiotomy, perineal tear, hemorrhage, cesarean delivery, neonatal resuscitation, fresh stillbirth/early neonatal death, and longer hospitalization, with higher risk ratios associated with higher degrees of FGM.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  FGM is still a common practice in southeast Nigeria, where its association with adverse reproductive outcomes militates against efforts to achieve MDGs 3, 4, and 5.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, Nigeria. Electronic address: lawkins2000@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Lucky O
authors.initials: LO
authors.lastname: Lawani
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Azubuike K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Onyebuchi
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Chukwuemeka A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Iyoke
authors.affiliation: Mile Four Catholic Hospital, Abakaliki, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Nwabunike E
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Okeke
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002585:Cesarean Section / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019093:Circumcision, Female / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000145:classification / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D004841:Episiotomy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006040:Goals; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007226:Infant Mortality; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D022125:Lacerations / Q000453:epidemiology; D007902:Length of Stay; D008875:Middle Aged; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D010502:Perineum / Q000293:injuries; D011247:Pregnancy; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D050497:Stillbirth / Q000453:epidemiology; D014592:Uterine Hemorrhage / Q000453:epidemiology; D014944:World Health Organization; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Cultural practice; Female genital mutilation; Genital; Harmful; Millennium Development Goal; Mutilation; Obstetrics