Birth risk for circumcised women

The babies of circumcised women are more likely to be stillborn and their mothers to suffer serious problems, according to scientists.

A study of almost 2,000 in south-west Nigeria looked specifically at women with particular types of circumcision.

They found that women who had part or all of their clitoris and/or skin tissue of the vulva removed had a "significantly" higher risk of tearing because of their extensive scar tissue.

The study, published in the International Journal of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, said women who had been circumcised could suffer long-lasting reproductive health problems and stillbirths.

Tradition
They also generally suffered more prolonged first labours than those who were not circumcised, but did have less Caesarean sections or episiotomies.

There are calls for the data to be used to persuade countries to give up the practice.

"We believe in the WHO that the more data we have that can be disseminated to the people in charge of the programme the more it will help us in fighting these procedures"

Dr Heli Bathija, of WHO

There are already indications that the practice is dying out in some areas.

Dr Heli Bathija, a circumcision specialist for the World Health Organisation (WHO), said she hoped the new data would enable them to persuade people against circumcision.

"We believe in the WHO that the more data we have that can be disseminated to the people in charge of the programme the more it will help us in fighting these procedures."

Main types of female circumcision:

1. The removal of the tip of the clitoris
2. Total removal of the clitoris and surrounding labia
3. The removal of the clitoris and labia and the sewing up of the vagina, leaving only a small opening for urine and menstrual blood - a process known as infibulation

She said that the WHO had prepared manuals for midwives in the countries where they practise circumcision to ensure births are as safe as possible.

The data showed that women who had been circumcised had up to a 9.2% risk of stillbirth in their first pregnancy depending on the severity of the circumcision, compared with a 6.3% risk for uncircumcised women.

In second pregnancies the rate drops to up to 5.7% for circumcised women, or 2.3% for uncircumcised mothers.

The risk of suffering a tear rises up to 3.5% if the women are circumcised. from 1.6% if they are not.

Supporters of circumcision say it is done for cultural and religious reasons, but opponents say that not only is it potentially life-threatening, it is also an extreme form of oppression of women.