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WOMEN'S HEALTH PUBLICATIONS

The FGM Booklet attempts to provide a step towards the improvement of health care provision for women who have been affected by female genital mutilation (FGM) by raising the awareness of health professionals about this subject and the issues that surround it and providing information to assist their response.

It is intended that the Booklet be accessible not only to medical practitioners but to any health professional likely to encounter affected women including midwives, nurses, community health workers, social workers, psychologists and any other interested professionals.

The Booklet covers what FGM is, ethical and legal aspects of FGM, health consequences of FGM, psychosocial issues, practice guidelines, deinfibulation and pregnancy and childbirth.

The FGM Booklet was produced by the RANZCOG with input and feedback from members of an expert Steering Committee and with funding from the Commonwealth Government (Australia).

We regret that hard copies of the Booklet are no longer available.

This resource document for health professionals summarises current medical evidence and reference material about methods of termination of pregnancy prior to 20 weeks gestation.

• Women seeking assistance should contact their general practitioner or local family planning organisation.

Varying infrastructure and legal frameworks mean that not all methods are available in all jurisdictions: practitioners need to inform themselves about local conditions.

The resource has not addressed the important issues around counselling and decision-making: education about these matters is essential for health professionals working in women’s health.

Health professionals have an important role in prevention of unintended or unwanted pregnancy, through taking up opportunities for individual counselling and population health promotion about relationships, safe sex and contraceptive use.

This RANZCOG publication was approved by the College Council at the November 2005 meeting.

Its preparation has been overseen by the Women’s Health Committee of the RANZCOG with the assistance of a working party comprising Fellows of RANZCOG and external contributors.