FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION AND ASSOCIATED BIRTH COMPLICATIONS IN WOLKITE TOWN, GURAGE ZONE, SNNPR, ETHIOPIA, 2021 G.C.

Abstract

Introduction: Female genital mutilation (FGM), commonly referred to as female circumcision, isone of the deeply rooted, harmful traditional practices that are still prevalent in a number of countries. In spite of the fact that it is taken as cultural or traditional entity and its magnitudeand associated birth complication is not studied well in the study area Objective: Themainobjectiveofthis study was to assess the magnitude of FGM and birth complications amongwomenofreproductive age groups (15-49 years) in SNNPR Wolkite town, Gurage Zone,SNNPR,Ethiopia, 2021 G.C. Methodology: cross-sectional study design was conducted by taking a total sample size of 311 from November 1 2021 to November 16 2021 G.C the sample for the study was drawn from women who came to wolkite health center for delivery. Systematic random sampling method was used to select individual respondents. The data was collected using structured questionnaire and be analyzed as Frequencies, proportions and summary statistics was used to describe the study population in relation to relevant self and parental variables using computer software (IBM SPSS version 20.Results: the proportion of women who were genitally mutilated was 51.4%. Episiotomies occurred among of women who were delivering for the first time and of women delivering forthe second time. The rates of instrumental and cesarean deliveries among the first-time deliveries were 6.6% and 3.1%, respectively; while they were 3.2% and 1.3% among the second-time deliveries, respectively. Among primi-parous women 36.2% reported having had complicated postnatal period; 22.5%, prolonged labour; 10.3%, perineal tear and 9.8%, heavy bleeding. Internal comparison between infibulated and non-infibulated women had shown that there was significant difference in the occurrence of hemorrhage and postnatal problems. Conclusion: It was concluded that female genital mutilation in general and infibulation in particular were risk factors for the occurrence of birth complications