Psychological consequences of female genital mutilation: A mixed-method systematic review.
Tara Reman, Valerie Balligand, Benoit Schoefs and 2 others
PMID 38855076WHAT IT FOUND
Severe female genital mutilation is linked to higher rates of PTSD, anxiety, and somatisation, but depression findings are inconsistent.
Cultural context heavily shapes these outcomes, with some women reporting relief or belonging rather than distress. Clinical exams can trigger trauma memories.
Key findings
01Post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and somatisation were significantly more severe in women who had undergone female genital mutilation compared to non-mutilated women.
02Depression scores did not consistently differ between mutilated and non-mutilated groups across all studies.
03Inappropriate behaviour by health professionals during examinations caused shame and reluctance to seek care, while the exposure itself could trigger PTSD symptoms.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The included studies had heterogeneous populations, making it difficult to compare results directly. Several quantitative studies were at high risk of bias, and some lacked details on sample inclusion criteria. Non-mutilated control groups in some studies experienced other traumas or high social stress, which may have inflated their psychological distress scores and masked differences with the mutilated group.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume every patient with a history of FGM/C presents with depression or PTSD. The review found inconsistent evidence for depression and noted that some women view the procedure as a positive rite of passage or source of social belonging, meaning distress is not universal.