Medical Defibulation as a Possibility-the Experiences of Young Swedish- Somali Women

ABSTRACT

Purpose: Infibulation is the most pervasive form of female genital cutting. Infibulated women face difficulties such as obstruction of urine and menstrual blood flow, sexual problems, and birth complications, and may therefore need medical defibulation. This study explores the lived experiences of young migrant women from Somalia and their views on undergoing medical defibulation in Sweden.

Methods: A qualitative study was conducted using phenomenological lifeworld research. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with nine young women originating from Somalia, now resident in Sweden. The interviews were analysed to reveal the meaning of the phenomenon of infibulation.

Results: The essential meaning of the phenomenon is characterized by a limbo regarding both infibulation and defibulation. There is a strong desire both to handle the Swedish perspective on infibulation and to stay with the Somalian cultural values. These women are being exposed to a tacit tradition that makes it hard to relate to the possibility of medical defibulation. As a result, the women perceive the possibility to undergo medical defibulation as limited or non-existent.

Conclusions: Healthcare professionals can be a support to encourage women in need of medical defibulation to reflect on traditional ideals concerning infibulation and defibulation.

KEYWORDS:

• Infibulation
• female circumcision
• female genital mutilation
• female genital cutting
• defibulation
• deinfibulation
• phenomenology
• life world research

Acknowledgments

We thank the participating women who generously shared their experiences with us.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1. Youth centres are part of the primary health care system in Sweden, where trained midwives and counsellors offers health care on issues concerning sexual and reproductive health and physical and mental health to young people aged 13 and over (Västra Götalandsregionen/Väst Kom, 2018).

Additional information

Funding

This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

Notes on contributors

Anna Chavez Karlström

Anna Chavez Karlström has a master degree in midwifery. She works as a midwife at a specialized clinic for women exposed to female genital cutting at Angered Hospital.

Louise Danielsson

Louise Danielsson, Ph.D., is a researcher and physiotherapist at Angered Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden. She is also a lecturer at the Department of Health and Rehabilitation, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, University of Gothenburg. Her research work has focused on mental health rehabilitation, embodiment theory, and transcultural healthcare.

Helena Dahlberg

Helena Dahlberg is originally a philosopher with a PhD in history of ideas. Her dissertation explores the phenomenology of the body and the concept of flesh in Maurice Merleau-Ponty’s philosophy. Her current research focuses on the development of qualitative methodology in empirical research, and she is currently employed as a senior lecturer in qualitative methodology in healthcare sciences.