title: Effect of female genital mutilation/cutting on sexual functions.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) or female circumcision is the procedure of eliminating some or all parts of the external female genitalia. FGM/C is carried out by traditional circumcisers. They usually use cutting tools like a blade or straight-razor. Although FGM/C is well described in the African continent and some Arabic countries, data from Iran are scarce.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The major objective of this current study was to investigate the effects of FGM/C on the female sexual function of married women compared to the non-circumcised women in the Kurdistan province of Iran.
  
  
  METHODS
  A case-control study was conducted in a sample of 280 married women (140 circumcised-women and 140 non-circumcised-women) who referred to the healthcare centers for vaccination, midwifery, or family planning services. Participants were requested to complete the Persian-translated version of the Female Sexual Function Index.
  
  
  METHODS
  The total score of the FSFI and its individual domains.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the circumcised women, 51.4% reported circumcision procedures before the age of 3 years. Religion motivation (53.6%) was mentioned as the most important factor for the family leading to FGM/C. Almost all operations were performed by traditional circumcisers. Non-circumcised women had significantly higher Persian-FSFI total score (25.3 ± 4.34) compared to the circumcised women (17.9 ± 5.39).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Sexual function in women with FGM/C is adversely altered. In Kurdistan province women, FGM/C is associated with reduction of scores of Persian-FSFI on all domain scores. Education in general and informing the people that FGM/C is not a religious Hadith certainly would have a great impact on the suffering of the women from FGM/C as well as the level of "desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction, and pain in the sexual function of women".
authors.affiliation: Basic Department, Paramedical Faculty, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad-Hossein
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Biglu
authors.affiliation: Research Center of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Alireza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Farnam
authors.affiliation: Msc in Medical Library& Information Science, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
authors.forename: Parvaneh
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Abotalebi
authors.affiliation: Asien-Afrika Institute, Hamburg University, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Sahar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Biglu
authors.affiliation: Radiology Department, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran. Electronic address: mostafa.ghavami@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Mostafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ghavami
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001143:Arousal; D019093:Circumcision, Female / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004414:Dyspareunia / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran; D008875:Middle Aged; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D012735:Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological / Q000209:etiology*; D020018:Sexual Dysfunctions, Psychological / Q000209:etiology*; D016387:Women's Health / Q000208:ethnology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Female circumcision; Female genital mutilation/cutting; Female sexual function; Iran