Aspiration of hijab pin is sharply rising among young women---A preventable health problem

INTRODUCTION: Foreign body aspiration is a common life threatening emergency but largely a preventable problem. There is an increase in the number of headscarf pin aspiration cases among young girls as a result of increase in the number of veiling population. With the number of hijab wearing population increasing all over the world, attention must be brought to the risk associated with holding the hijab pins in the mouth. AIM: To study the practice of holding hijab pin in the mouth among Muslim women. METHODS: In a first study of its kind, we interviewed 270 Muslim women with varied background to study the practice of hijab pin use and holding it in the mouth. RESULTS: Among 270 Muslim women, 260 (96.3%) of them wear hijab. 221 (81.85%) women use hijab pins to hold different layers of hijab. 191 (70.74%) of them hold the hijab pins in between the lips when they adjust the layers of hijab. 72 (26.67%) women had occasions when the hijab pin slipped into their mouth and 10 (3.70%) of them have aspirated the hijab pin accidentally. Maximum hijab pin use is in the age group between 21 and 40 years (89.44%) and least in the elderly (6.66%). Occasions when the pin slipped into the mouth or aspirations both are maximum in the below 20 years group. Both are nil in elderly. CONCLUSION: Appropriate education and intervention need to be planned as more young population are getting involved. Most importantly refrain from holding the pin in the mouth!