title: FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION: ARE WE WINNING?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  For more than 25 years, efforts have been geared towards curtailing the practice of female genital mutilation (FGM) in countries like Nigeria. This study was designed to see if all these efforts have made any impact in reducing the prevalence of FGM appreciably in the south-West of Nigeria.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the prevalence of female genital mutilation and profiling the trends of FGM affected patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective study based on direct observation of the external genitalia by health-care workers .
  
  
  METHODS
  Five hundred and sixty five females less than 15 years of age.
  
  
  METHODS
  The children emergency and gynaecological wards of the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex, Ile-Ife, Nigeria from 1st of January to December 31s 2007.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty one point nine percent of the patients examined had female genital mutilation, 93.2% of these had the procedure before attaining the age of one year. Type 2 FGM predominated (58.22%). The procedure was performed predominantly (64.6%) by traditional birth attendants. The decision to have the procedure done was influenced in 78% of cases by mothers and grandmothers. In 35.4% of cases, there were immediate and short term complications. Demands of tradition predominated (59.1%) as the most important reason for the practice of female genital mutilation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The practice of FGM appears to be still highly prevalent and resistant to change probably due to deep rooted socio-cultural factors. Strategies such as public education campaigns highlighting its negative impact on health and disregard for human rights should be evolved.
authors: Department of Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Perinatology, College of Health Sciences, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.
authors: O N
authors: ON
authors: Makinde
authors: J B E
authors: JB
authors: Elusiyan
authors: A B
authors: AB
authors: Adeyemi
authors: O T
authors: OT
authors: Taiwo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D019093:Circumcision, Female / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D009549:Nigeria; D011446:Prospective Studies