Female genital mutilation, leading cause of death in African countries

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2023-08-female-genital-mutilation-death-african.html

by jdmark • 3 years ago

75 18 3 years ago

Not quite understanding the graph. Enteric diseases are caused by micro-organisms such as viruses, bacteria and parasites that cause intestinal illness.

Seems a lot broader than just the title of the article.

drekipus• 3 years ago

The fact that genital mutilation still happens today, and people still defend it as the right thing to do, is astounding.

It is a bit of skin that is used to protect and moisten sexual organs. I think it's obvious to anyone that they're crucial for keeping things clean and healthy.

MathMonkeyMan• 3 years ago

Circumcision can be a solution to chronic urinary tract infections in young boys, as was the case with me when I was five.

I've also read that it makes HIV transmission less likely.

Not sure why either would be true, but at least the first is.

danlindley• 3 years ago

The issue is not with what a medical professional considers an option for medical reasons. The issue, which I too find to be utterly despicable, is the non-consensual mutilation. Any other description only serves to minimize or mask what is ultimately a barbaric ritual.

water-data-dude2• 3 years ago

Warning: this wikipedia article on circumcision includes pictures of penises (as you’d expect). You need to scroll a while to find them, but they ARE lurking.

Basically, it looks like there’s a consensus that for vaginal sex (and probably anal sex) it can reduce the risk of contracting HIV for the penetrative partner. It’s much less effective than condom use or something like PrEP, but it makes a lot of sense in some high risk populations. Right now it’s being actively encouraged in Africa. HIV has been exploding over there and, while condom use, tests, and PrEP are more effective, it’s hard to get a steady supply to the people who would benefit - and then hard to get them to use condoms/take PrEP/get tested consistently. It’s less effective, but it’s a one and done thing that will reduce the risk somewhat, so hopefully it’ll help put the brakes on.

I don’t think male circumcision makes a lot of sense in developed countries in most cases, since we have easy access to a steady supply of condoms, PrEP, and testing - as well as medicine to clear up UTIs and such. The medical community is somewhat divided though, so IDK.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circumcision#Prophylactic_usag...

barbazoo• 3 years ago

Sounds like a treatment more than a preventative measure.

I don't get why some cultures apply it so broadly.

M5x7wI3CmbEem102• 3 years ago

I implore you to view the scientific literature with skepticism.

This is a phenomenal thread on the subject by a senior research fellow at Oxford:

https://twitter.com/briandavidearp/status/107916411478471475...

M5x7wI3CmbEem102• 3 years ago

It serves far greater function[0].

It's serious enough that it's led to suicides[1] and suicidal ideation[2][3][4].

Fortunately, a research lab called Foregen is near to a solution to reverse male genital mutilation[5].

[0] https://www.foregen.org/the-human-foreskin

[1] https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-47292307

[2] https://youtu.be/vVuEST8RdL8

[3] http://reddit.com/r/circumcisiongrief

[4] http://reddit.com/r/foreskin_restoration

[5] https://foregen.org

jstarfish• 3 years ago

It continues because FGM is too broadly defined. It's never clear whether they're talking about cutting off the clitoral hood, the clitoris itself or the entire vulva.

Only the former is anything like male circumcision; the latter two are the equivalent of severing the glans, and removing the scrotal sac (while preserving the testes), respectively.

There are no upsides to the latter two FGM practices, but having an intact/thick hood can interfere with orgasm for some women (basically female phimosis; the affected tend to need a vibrator to get off). I've heard topical testosterone is a possible nonsurgical solution, but hormone roulette presents its own interesting problems.

It's very much a personal decision though and the amount of effort we expend on forcibly tampering with the genitals of others (especially children) never ceases to astound me either.

qawwads• 3 years ago

leading cause of death in some African countries

s1artibartfast• 3 years ago

Title gore and flagged.

Female genital mutilation identified as _a_ leading cause of death in African countries

raincom• 3 years ago

Dawood Bohras (a particular Shia sect in Islam) practices this, it is called Khatna or Khafd. Most of Dawoodi Bohras come from Mumbai, India, where this is common[4]. A female doctor from this particular community was prosecuted in Detroit for practicing this[1], her case was dismissed, as the US district judge found that "Congress overstepped its bounds by legislating to prohibit (female genital mutilation)". After this, the state of Michigan banned this practice. Another person got busted in Texas for transporting a minor from UK to Texas for female Genital mutilation[2]. More cases from the states [3].

[1] https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/detroit-emergency-room-doctor...

[2] https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/texas-woman-indicted-transpor...

[3] https://www.chicagotribune.com/nation-world/ct-detroit-femal...

[4] https://www.hindustantimes.com/static/fgm-indias-dark-secret...

alephnerd• 3 years ago

Dawoodi Bohras come from Mumbai, India, where this is common

The Dawoodi Bohra community in India is from Gujarat, but emigrated from Oman and Yemen in the 1300s-1800s, and ended up moving the Mumbai in the 19th century.

They are a subset of the Arab origin communities within South Asia that migrated from what is now Yemen and Oman to South Asia for a mix of economic and social opportunity. There's a similar community of (Sunni) Yemenis in central Hyderabad, who emigrated from Hadhramut to Hyderabad for economic reasons, along with other groups across the entire Western Coast of the subcontinent.

This is distinct from Northwestern and Central India, where immigrants from Khorasan and Turkic Central Asia were much more common, and as such the Folk Islam practices in those regions are much more Persianate in style.

Female genital mutilation, leading cause of death in African countries

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