Sexual Experience among Married Women who had Undergone Female Genital Mutilation in Midega Tola District, Eastern Ethiopia

Abstract

Background: Female genital mutilation (FGM) had an impact on women's sexual functions like sexual initiation, desire, enjoyment, and pleasure. While Ethiopia's government's commitment to eradicating female genital mutilation is strong, the practice is still prevalent among women aged 15–49, with up to 65 percent of them being sexually challenged. Many studies have been done in Ethiopia to assess only the prevalence of female genital mutilation, but they did not completely examine the effects of FGM on women's sexual practices. This study investigated the sexual experiences of married women who had a history of FGM in the Midega Tola district, eastern Ethiopia. Objective: To describe sexual Experience among Married Women who had Undergone Female Genital Mutilation in Midega Tola District, Eastern Ethiopia, from November 30, 2022 to January 05, 2023. Methods: This qualitative study design followed a phenomenology approach to describe married women's sexual experiences who had a history of FGM. Purposive sampling was used to identify women. In-depth interviews were used to collect data from 12 women using open-ended, semi-structured questions. The interviews were taped and transcribed verbatim. The transcribed data were imported into Open Code software version 4.0.3.0 for coding and categorization, and the framework analysis method was used to analyze the data. In order to analyze the differences and similarities between the different codes, they were categorized. Finally, real images of women's sexual experiences with FGM have been collected. Results: This finding identified two themes concerning the sexual experiences of women who underwent FGM: Married women’s perceptions about FGM, Traumatic experiences of married women with FGM procedures and in their sexual activity. Conclusion: Circumcised women's sexual quality of health and sexual initiation, desire, enjoyment, and satisfaction were all likely to be impacted. Therefore, multi-sector cooperation should be utilized to eradicate FGM, protect women's sexual rights to pleasure, and enhance overall health