Is there a connection between female genital cutting (FGC) and fistula?
Female genital cutting is condemned by most governments because of its devastating consequences on women’s reproductive health, and UNFPA is actively working to end the practice. Nevertheless, the practice persists in many areas where obstetric fistula is prevalent as well. Although FGC can increase the risk of haemorrhage and infection during childbirth, it is not clear whether it is typically a causal factor in the formation of fistulas. However, two fairly radical forms of FGC, the Gishiri cut, which is practiced in northern Nigeria, and infibulation, the stitching up of the vagina, can contribute directly to fistulas.
