New female genital mutilation clinic opens its doors at Doncaster Royal Infirmary

The Shamso unit within Doncaster Royal Infirmary aims to offer a safe space for women who have experienced female genital mutilation (FGM).

Staff from Doncaster’s Changing Lives perinatal team were invited to open the new clinic which will enable women to receive clinical support and advice from specialist staff.

A spokesperson said: “We have been working with the Shamso clinic to share the voices of the women we work with.

"The new clinic is dedicated to working safety without judgement.”

Any women who may have experienced FGM are welcome to speak to with Changing Lives’ perinatal worker with any questions or support needed around the issue.

You can get in touch with Changing Lives HERE

What is FGM?

Female genital mutilation (FGM) – also known as female genital cutting and female circumcision – is the ritual cutting or removal of some or all of the vulva.

The prevalence of FGM varies worldwide, but is majorly present in some countries of Africa, Asia and the Middle East, and within their diasporas.

As of 2024, UNICEF estimates that worldwide 230 million girls and women (144 million in Africa, 80 million in Asia, 6 million in Middle East, and 1-2 million in other parts of the world) had been subjected to one or more types of FGM.

Typically carried out by a traditional circumciser using a blade, FGM is conducted from days after birth to puberty and beyond. In half of the countries for which national statistics are available, most girls are cut before the age of five.

Procedures differ according to the country or ethnic group. They include removal of the clitoral hood and clitoral glans, removal of the inner labia and removal of the inner and outer labia and closure of the vulva.

In this last procedure, known as infibulation, a small hole is left for the passage of urine and menstrual fluid, the vagina is opened for intercourse and opened further for childbirth.

The practice is rooted in gender inequality, religious beliefs, attempts to control female sexuality, and ideas about purity, modesty, and beauty.

It is usually initiated and carried out by women, who see it as a source of honour, and who fear that failing to have their daughters and granddaughters cut will expose the girls to social exclusion.

Adverse health effects depend on the type of procedure; they can include recurrent infections, difficulty urinating and passing menstrual flow, chronic pain, the development of cysts, an inability to get pregnant, complications during childbirth, and fatal bleeding.There are no known health benefits.

There have been international efforts since the 1970s to persuade practitioners to abandon FGM, and it has been outlawed or restricted in most of the countries in which it occurs, although the laws are often poorly enforced.

According to the UNICEF, international FGM rates have risen significantly in recent years, from an estimated 200 million in 2016 to 230 million in 2024, with progress towards its abandonment stalling or reversing in many affected countries.