Female genital mutilation in children presenting to Australian paediatricians
Loading...
Authors
Zurynski, Yvonne
Phu, Amy
Sureshkumar, Premala
Cherian, Sarah
Deverell, Marie
Elliott, Elizabeth J.
Issue Date
2017-01-12
Type
Article
Language
en_US
Keywords
Female Genital Mutilation , General Paediatrics
Alternative Title
Abstract
Objective:
The WHO reports that female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) is an ancient cultural practice prevalent in many countries. FGM/C has been reported among women resident in Australia. Our paper provides the first description of FGM/C in Australian children.
Design:
Cross-sectional survey conducted in April–June 2014.
Setting:
Paediatricians and other child health specialists recruited through the Australian Paediatric Surveillance Unit were asked to report children aged <18 years with FGM/C seen in the last 5 years, and to provide data for demographics, FGM/C type, complications and referral for each case.
Participants:
Of 1311 eligible paediatricians/child health specialists, 1003 (76.5%) responded.
Results:
Twenty-three (2.3%) respondents had seen 59 children with FGM/C and provided detailed data for 31. Most (89.7%) were identified during refugee screening and were born in Africa. Three (10.3%) were born in Australia: two had FGM/C in Australia and one in Indonesia. All parents were born overseas, mainly Africa (98.1%). Ten children had WHO FGM/C type I, five type II, five type III and six type IV. Complications in eight children included recurrent genitourinary infections, menstrual, sexual, fertility and psychological problems. Nineteen children (82.6%) were referred to obstetrics/gynaecology: 16 (69.9%) to social work and 13 (56.5%) to child protection.
Conclusions:
This study confirms that FGM/C is seen in paediatric clinical practice within Australia. Paediatricians need cultural awareness, education and resources to help them identify children with FGM/C and/or at risk of FGM/C, to enable appropriate referral and counselling of children, families and communities to assist in the prevention of this practice.
Description
Citation
Zurynski, Y., Phu, A., Sureshkumar, P., Cherian, S., Deverell, M., Elliott, E. J., & for Australian Paediatric Surveillance Unit Female Genital Mutilation Study Steering Committee (2017). Female genital mutilation in children presenting to Australian paediatricians. Archives of disease in childhood, 102(6), 509–515. https://doi.org/10.1136/archdischild-2016-311540
Publisher
Archives of Disease in Childhood