Surgical interventions for women with female genital mutilation/cutting : A) How successful are the most common types of surgical interventions for FGM/C available in industrialized countries, and B) which factors influence whether the results are considered satisfactory by the women receiving them?

Female genital mutilation and/or cutting (FGM/C) is classified into four types and leads to various health consequences for girls and women. Surgical interventions can be successful in alleviating or reversing physical consequences of FGM/C. The three most commonly performed procedures are defibulation, clitoral reconstruction and cyst removal. Through critical examination of the available research on the subject, this thesis aims to provide insight into how successfully surgical interventions in industrialized countries are presently applied to women who have undergone FGM/C. Special attention will be paid to what factors result in being perceived as satisfactory by the women who underwent these interventions. Furthermore, the findings will be used to create a practice transfer and recommendations for midwives providing care to affected women. The results show women with FGM/C require adequate information about surgical possibilities in order to ensure an informed decision. Thus, an appropriate intervention for the woman can be chosen together with the healthcare professional. The majority of women with FGM/C are pleased with the outcome after the surgical intervention. There is a need for further investigation into the long-term outcomes of the different procedures