Assessment of complications associated with female genital cutting among postnatal women in Chuko Primary Hospital, Sidama region, Southern Ethiopia

OBJECTIVES: Female genital cutting is a genital operation for a nonmedical reason and involves the cutting away of a part or whole of the female external genitals. Postnatal women with genital cutting could be more vulnerable to circumcision-associated birth complications, and it is still a major health problem during childbirth and the postnatal period in Ethiopia. This study aimed to assess complications associated with female genital cutting among postnatal women in Chuko Primary Hospital, Sidama region, Southern Ethiopia. METHODS: An institutional-based quantitative cross-sectional study design was conducted from 01 May 2021 to 15 June 2021. A systematic random sampling technique was used to select study participants. Data were collected by using a structured pretested questionnaire and reviewing medical records. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 23.0. Logistic regression analysis was computed to identify birth complications associated with female genital cutting from independent variables, and significance was declared at p < 0.05 with 95% CI. RESULTS: The proportion of female genital cutting among the participants was 76.8% (95% confidence interval: 71.1, 81.2). Prolonged labor and birth asphyxia were statistically significant female genital cutting-associated birth complications. CONCLUSION: This study revealed a high proportion of complications associated with female genital cutting. Birth complications such as prolonged labor and birth asphyxia have a statistically significant association with it. Illiteracy and early marriage were the predominant reasons for female genital cutting. Therefore, healthcare providers should educate the rural communities to prevent early marriage and female genital cutting to prevent its complications.