Millions of women and girls worldwide are silently enduring the lifelong consequences of female genital mutilation (FGM), a practice that leaves lasting physical and psychological scars.
A new landmark study by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the UN’s Human Reproduction Programme (HRP) reveals the full scale of FGM’s devastating impact, drawing on data from more than 75 studies across 30 countries.
The findings are alarming: women who have undergone FGM face more than double the risk of life-threatening complications during childbirth, including prolonged or obstructed labour, haemorrhage, and emergency caesarean sections.
Mentally, the toll is just as severe. Survivors are nearly three times more likely to suffer from depression and anxiety, and 4.4 times more likely to develop post-traumatic stress disorder.
“This study paints a devastating picture of the manifold health implications of female genital mutilation,” said Dr. Pascale Allotey, Director of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research at WHO and head of HRP.
“We must ensure survivors receive timely, high-quality health care, and work with communities to stop the practice through education, awareness, and political will.”
Though global FGM rates are slowly declining, approximately 230 million women and girls are still living with its consequences.
Experts caution that this number could rise due to population growth in countries where FGM remains deeply entrenched in social and cultural norms.
Even more concerning is the increasing “medicalization” of FGM, where the procedure is performed by health workers under the false assumption that it makes the practice safer.
However, evidence shows that medicalization can lead to even more severe and lasting damage.
Survivors of FGM often suffer chronic pain, menstrual issues, urinary complications, painful sexual intercourse, and serious risks during childbirth.
The harm extends to the next generation, with higher rates of fetal distress, asphyxia, and newborn deaths among children born to mothers who underwent FGM.
Health experts are calling for urgent, coordinated action—supporting survivors with care and counseling, protecting girls at risk, and confronting the myths and cultural pressures that sustain FGM.
“Ending FGM is not just a health priority—it is a human rights imperative,” Dr. Allotey emphasized.