Scientific article
OA Policy
English

Clitoral reconstruction and psychosexual care after female genital mutilation/cutting : Assessment of multidisciplinary care

Published inWomen's health, vol. 21, 17455057251315814
Publication date2025
First online date2025-03-31
Abstract

Background: Multidisciplinary care following female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) can consist of surgical interventions such as clitoral reconstruction (CR) in combination with individualized psychosexual care (PC). Evidence on both treatments, alone or in association, is limited.

Objectives: To investigate the overall satisfaction with PC only or PC in combination with CR.

Design: Cross-sectional study of women who attended the FGM/C outpatient clinic under study and asked for CR between January 2013 and November 2021.

Methods: Data were collected through questionnaire-based interviews on motivations for asking for CR, psychological well-being (World Health Organization-Five Well-Being Index), sexual response (Female Sexual Function Index), vulvar pain, genital self-image (Female Genital Self-Image Scale), overall satisfaction with the care received, and, in the case of CR, postoperative complications.

Results: The 20 women included underwent therapy primarily to feel repaired or reconstructed and to improve their sexual function. Mean overall satisfaction with the care was rated 8.95/10 ± 1.39. Twelve (60%) received CR in combination with PC. Eight (40%) received PC only. Women who received combined therapy reported higher overall satisfaction (9.17 versus 8.57), psychological well-being (17.8 versus 9.25), sexual response (31.22 versus 21.56), and genital self-image (25.60 versus 17.60) in comparison with those who only received PC. The main surgical complications were minor postoperative bleeding and one painful wound infection triggering a relapse of posttraumatic stress disorder.

Conclusion: Tailored PC and CR after FGM/C seem to improve psychosexual health, well-being, body image, and pain.Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05026814).

Keywords
  • Clitoral reconstruction
  • Female genital cutting
  • Female genital mutilation
  • Multidisciplinary care
  • Psychosexual care
  • Adult
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Middle Aged
  • Young Adult
  • Body Image
  • Circumcision, Female / psychology
  • Circumcision, Female / adverse effects
  • Clitoris / surgery
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Patient Satisfaction
  • Plastic Surgery Procedures / methods
  • Plastic Surgery Procedures / psychology
  • Sexual Behavior / psychology
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
Citation (ISO format)
MEYER, Muriel, SARTORIUS, Gideon, ABDULCADIR, Jasmine. Clitoral reconstruction and psychosexual care after female genital mutilation/cutting : Assessment of multidisciplinary care. In: Women’s health, 2025, vol. 21, p. 17455057251315814. doi: 10.1177/17455057251315814
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Identifiers
Journal ISSN1745-5057
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Technical informations

Creation10/10/2025 07:14:55
First validation24/11/2025 08:54:09
Update24/11/2025 08:54:09
Status update24/11/2025 08:54:09
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