Female Genital Mutilation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Female Genital Mutilation - Essay Example It can result in death through severe bleeding leading to haemorrhage shock, neurogenic shock as a result of pain and trauma and/or severe and overwhelming infection and septicaemia. It is routinely traumatic. Other harmful effects include: Failure to heal; abscess formation; cysts; excessive growth of scar tissue; urinary tract infection; scar neuroma; painful sexual intercourse; increased susceptibility to HIV/AIDS, hepatitis and other blood-borne diseases; reproductive tract infection; pelvic inflammatory diseases; infertility; painful menstruation; chronic urinary tract obstruction/ bladder stones; urinary incontinence; obstructed labour and increased risk of bleeding and infection during childbirth. (Harrison 2001) Female genital mutilation/cutting is a fundamental violation of the rights of children and women as outlined in numerous international conventions, including the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. (WHO 2005) As a health professional who is culturally sensitive I would advise her to stick to her decision without fail. But she should make sure that she tries her level best to explain the medical complications of this procedure to her family members to the best of her ability rather just snubbing them by labelling them ignorant.