Female Genital Mutilation is associated with a high incidence of complications that involves short and long term adverse effects on the physical, psychological and social well-being of women or young girls who have undergone FGM. In some case the operation may be fatal.

Shock.
The operation is usually performed without anasthesia, and the resulting pain and fear, and/or excessive loss of blood, can lead to shock.

Bleeding.
Bleeding occurs in all three types of FGM and may be life threatening.

Accidental damage to surrounding organs.
At the time of the operation the girl is held by at least three women, usually close relatives. One woman holds the trunk and hands of the girl while the other two women hold her legs apart. The 'circumciser' squats between her legs and has to stretch to reach the girl. This position, and the fact that the girl usually struggles because she is not anaethetised, means that unintentional, additional damage to surrounding organs is easily caused. Injury has been reported to the urethra, anus and vagina.

Urinary Complications.
Urinary complications are found in all three types of FGM, and can arise from fear of passing urine in the raw area, or from tight sewing. Acute urinary retention is a well-known complication that occurs within 48 hours of the operation.

Haematocolpos.
This is the closure of the vaginal opening by scar tissue with the result that menstrual blood accumulates over many months.

Keloid Scars.
These are caused by the slow and incomplete healing of the wound and infection after the operation

Cysts and abcesses on the vulva.

Rectal and/or vaginal fistula.

Rupture of the urethra or permanent damage to other organs.

Difficulty in urinating.
This may be caused by damage to the urethral opening, or by acute infection of the urethra and bladder (which can occur if the girl is unable to empty her bladder completely).

Infection.
In most cases the operation is performed under very unhygienic conditions by an untrained traditional midwife, using various sharpened instruments ranging from rough traditional knives to razors. Equipment is not usually sterilised and fatal cases of tetanus have been known. Hepatittus and HIV infection may also occur.

Effect on sexual intercourse.
If an infibulation has been tight, the woman may find sexual intercourse difficult or impossible. This may lead to emotional and psychological problems for the woman.

Effect on general health care.
The pain of vaginal penetration will make gynaecological examination difficult, and the general health care of the woman is likely to suffer if she does not have regular smear tests.

Pelvic inflammatory disease and infertility.
The practice of FGM may result in pelvic inflammatory disease, and possible infertility.

Problems in labour and in childbirth.
If the woman does conceive, the labour may be difficult and possibly life threatening to the mother and baby. If the tissues of the vulva have been sewn together in infibulation they will have to be cut through to enable the woman to give birth. The woman's labour may be prolonged and obstructed due to tough and unyielding scars. Delays in the second stage of labour may result in the baby being stillborn, or may cause the uterus or rectum to rupture with internal bleeding, in some cases leading to death.