Female genital cutting in women living in Norway - consequences and treatment. / Omskjæring hos kvinner bosatt i Norge ­ konsekvenser og behandling.

BACKGROUND: Seven Norwegian hospitals offer an outpatient service for women who have undergone female genital cutting (FGC). This study presents symptoms, findings and treatment in women who were examined at the outpatient clinics in the period 2004-2015. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Each hospital identified patients by searching for relevant diagnostic and procedure codes. All those who had been examined at the outpatient clinics were included. Data were retrieved from patient records. RESULTS: A total of 913 women were included. The median age at the time of undergoing FGC was seven years, and at the time of consultation, 26 years. Almost half of the women were pregnant. The majority (81 %) had FGC type III (infibulation). Of these, 87 % had gynaecological problems. Of women with types I and II FGC, 55 % and 70 %, respectively, reported gynaecological problems. Altogether 64 % received surgical treatment, primarily deinfibulation (98 %). Few complications were recorded. INTERPRETATION: In many young, non-pregnant infibulated women, FGC-related problems that can be treated with deinfibulation may have been present since childhood and adolescence. There is probably an unmet need for treatment, irrespective of the type of FGM.

Predictors of anxiety and depression following pregnancy termination: a longitudinal five-year follow-up study.

BACKGROUND: The aims of the study were to assess anxiety and depression in women who had experienced either a miscarriage or an induced abortion, to compare the women's level of distress with that of a general population sample, and to find predictors of anxiety and depression six months and five years after the event. METHODS: A prospective, longitudinal follow-up study. Women who experienced miscarriage (n = 40) and induced abortion (n = 80) were interviewed ten days (T1), six months (T2), two years (T3), and five years (T4) after the event. On each occasion, they completed the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and the Life Events Scale. Paired-sample t-test, logistic regression, and multiple linear regression statistical tests were used. RESULTS: Women with miscarriage had significantly more anxiety and depression at T1 than the general population, while women with induced abortion had significantly more anxiety at all time points and more depression at T1 and T2. In both groups, important predictors of anxiety and depression at T2 and T4 were recent life events and poor former psychiatric health. Childbirth events between T1 and T4 had no significant influence on the scores. For women with induced abortion, doubt about the decision to abort was related to depression at T2 (p <0.05), while a negative attitude towards induced abortion was associated with anxiety at T2 (p <0.05) and T4 (p <0.05). CONCLUSION: Correlates of anxiety and depression may be used to better identify women who are at risk of negative psychological responses following pregnancy termination.

The course of mental health after miscarriage and induced abortion: a longitudinal, five-year follow-up study.

BACKGROUND: Miscarriage and induced abortion are life events that can potentially cause mental distress. The objective of this study was to determine whether there are differences in the patterns of normalization of mental health scores after these two pregnancy termination events. METHODS: Forty women who experienced miscarriages and 80 women who underwent abortions at the main hospital of Buskerud County in Norway were interviewed. All subjects completed the following questionnaires 10 days (T1), six months (T2), two years (T3) and five years (T4) after the pregnancy termination: Impact of Event Scale (IES), Quality of Life, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and another addressing their feelings about the pregnancy termination. Differential changes in mean scores were determined by analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) and inter-group differences were assessed by ordinary least squares methods. RESULTS: Women who had experienced a miscarriage had more mental distress at 10 days and six months after the pregnancy termination than women who had undergone an abortion. However, women who had had a miscarriage exhibited significantly quicker improvement on IES scores for avoidance, grief, loss, guilt and anger throughout the observation period. Women who experienced induced abortion had significantly greater IES scores for avoidance and for the feelings of guilt, shame and relief than the miscarriage group at two and five years after the pregnancy termination (IES avoidance means: 3.2 vs 9.3 at T3, respectively, p < 0.001; 1.5 vs 8.3 at T4, respectively, p < 0.001). Compared with the general population, women who had undergone induced abortion had significantly higher HADS anxiety scores at all four interviews (p < 0.01 to p < 0.001), while women who had had a miscarriage had significantly higher anxiety scores only at T1 (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The course of psychological responses to miscarriage and abortion differed during the five-year period after the event. Women who had undergone an abortion exhibited higher scores during the follow-up period for some outcomes. The difference in the courses of responses may partly result from the different characteristics of the two pregnancy termination events.

Reasons for induced abortion and their relation to women's emotional distress: a prospective, two-year follow-up study.

OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to identify the most important reasons for induced abortion and to examine their relationship to emotional distress at follow-up. METHODS: Eighty women were included in the study. The women were interviewed 10 days, 6 months (T2) and 2 years (T3) after they underwent an abortion. At all time points, the participants completed the Impact of Event Scale and a questionnaire about feelings connected to the abortion. RESULTS: Reasons related to education, job and finances were highly rated. Also, "a child should be wished for," "male partner does not favour having a child at the moment," "tired, worn out" and "have enough children" were important reasons. "Pressure from male partner" was listed as the 11th most important reason. When the reasons for abortion and background variables were included in multiple regression analyses, the strongest predictor of emotional distress at T2 and T3 was "pressure from male partner." CONCLUSION: Male pressure on women to have an induced abortion has a significant, negative influence on women's psychological responses in the 2 years following the event. Women who gave the reason "have enough children" for choosing abortion reported slightly better psychological outcomes at T3.

Psychological impact on women of miscarriage versus induced abortion: a 2-year follow-up study.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the psychological trauma reactions of women who had either a miscarriage or an induced abortion, in the 2 years after the event. Further, to identify important predictors of Impact of Event Scale (IES) scores. METHOD: A consecutive sample of women who experienced miscarriage (N = 40) or induced abortion (N = 80) were interviewed 3 times: 10 days (T1), 6 months (T2), and 2 years (T3) after the event. RESULTS: At T1, 47.5% of the women who had a miscarriage were cases (IES score 19 points on 1 or both of the IES subscales), compared with 30% for women who had an induced abortion (p =.60). The corresponding values at T3 were 2.6% and 18.1%, respectively (p =.019). At all measurement time points, the group who had induced abortion scored higher on IES avoidance. Women who had a miscarriage were more likely to experience feelings of loss and grief, whereas women who had induced abortion were more likely to experience feelings of relief, guilt, and shame. At T3, IES intrusion was predicted by feelings of loss and grief at T1, whereas avoidance at T3 was predicted by guilt and shame at T1. CONCLUSION: The short-term emotional reactions to miscarriage appear to be larger and more powerful than those to induced abortion. In the long term, however, women who had induced abortion reported significantly more avoidance of thoughts and feelings related to the event than women who had a miscarriage.