[Genital mutilation of women. A new challenge for the health service].

Female circumcision, or genital mutilation is practised around the world. Because of war, conflicts and poverty, many women from cultures involving this practice now enter European communities. Some of them demand circumcision for their children. Genital mutilation of women has serious health effects, and in our societies there is a strong demand for its eradication. The cultural reasons for genital mutilation are varied, but it is not a compulsory part of the Islamic faith. Health workers in Norway may lack knowledge on how to handle these women when they meet them in their daily work. Sometimes unnecessary interventions are performed, sometimes ignorance may cause traumatic experiences for both patient and doctor. This article describes some of the social and cultural background for continued exposure to female mutilation, the health effects and some suggestions for interventions.