Reproductive Health Profile of Women and Female Circumcision in a Squatter Area in Alexandria

Deghedi, Bothaina S.; Ibrahim, Nahla K.; Nofal, Laila H.

doi:10.21608/jhiph.2001.235611

Reproductive Health Profile of Women and Female Circumcision in a Squatter Area in Alexandria

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Assistant Professor of Primary Health Care, High Institute of Public Health, Alexandria University, Egypt

² Lecturer of Epidemiology, High Institute of Public Health, Alexandria University, Egypt

³ Professor of Biostatistics, High Institute of Public Health, Alexandria University, Egypt

10.21608/jhiph.2001.235611

Abstract

The aim of the present work was to study the reproductive health profile of women and female circumcision in Maawa El Sayadeen squatter in Alexandria. The study was conducted through a cross sectional approach. A house to house survey was conducted and families in which there are married females aged 15-<45 years were included in the study. Also mothers having girls less than 18 years were included. A pre-designed interview questionnaire D for women was applied to collect data about antenatal care, delivery care and post natal me complications, their fertility pattern as well as contraceptive use and family planning methods. Moreover, another interview questionnaire for mothers having girls <18 ys was applied to collect data about female circumcision [FC]. The results revealed that 52.9% of the studied women were illiterate. Consanguineous marriages were reported among 24.6% of women and n. S 54.3% of them married at the age 15-20 years and 48.2% had their first pregnancy at that age, 33.1% had abortion and 21.5% had still births. Moreover 69.4% of studied women had received antenatal care, 71.3% received tetanus toxoid vaccine, 39.2% delivered at home, 33.4% delivered by Daya and 13.7% had postnatal complications. More than two thirds [69.4%] of women were currently using contraceptives. Female circumcision was performed among 55.4% of girls and 36.8% of mothers intended to circumcise their girls. About 44% of FC was performed by physicians, while 20.3% of FC was performed by Daya, and 51.8% of FC was performed at the age 15-18 years. Based on these results, health education and special care for women in this area should be provided.

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