MEDICAL
Support
Every 12 minutes, a woman or girl dies from complications linked to FGM.
This is a preventable tragedy, and it’s why FrontlineEndingFGM is training local midwives in life-saving care and launching a mobile Medical Support Programme on our Born Perfect Caravans.
MEET OUR MEDICAL TEAM
Juliet Albert is the FGM Lead Midwife at the Sunflower Clinic, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London, and a leading UK expert in FGM care. Since 1998, she has championed improved services, founding the Acton community clinic for non-pregnant women in 2007, which won a Guardian Public Service Award in 2011. She has designed the RCM-accredited deinfibulation workshop, trained numerous health professionals, and co-authored the RCM’s FGM e-learning package. Juliet has also served as project manager for the Department of Health’s FGM Prevention Programme and as Head of Community Engagement at Barnardo’s National FGM Centre. She is an RCM Fellow since 2021 and is currently pursuing a PhD to further strengthen FGM prevention and care.
Huda Mohamed MBE is a London-based FGM Specialist Lead Midwife at Whittington Hospital, with over 20 years of experience working in the NHS. A respected activist and public speaker, she is dedicated to supporting women affected by FGM and to educating women and families about their healthcare options and rights. Huda provides specialist care for survivors, raises awareness within healthcare and community settings, and advocates for policies that protect girls and women. Her MBE recognises her tireless commitment to ending FGM and improving maternal and reproductive health through compassionate, expert care and education.
Understanding the Four Types of FGM
FGM is a gateway to violence against women, causing long-term health issues like maternal mortality, disability, and fistula. While all types are harmful, Type 3, or infibulation, presents a unique and deadly threat.
The four types of FGM are:
Clitoridectomy:
Partial or total removal of the clitoris.
Excision:
Partial or total removal of the clitoris and the inner labia.
Infibulation:
The most severe form, involving the narrowing of the vaginal opening by stitching the outer labia together.
Any other form of intentional injury to the genitalia, including burning, piercing, scraping, stretching or pricking.
This groundbreaking initiative brings deinfibulation directly to the women who need it most. This minor, life-changing procedure re-opens survivors who have been sewn shut by Type 3 FGM—the most severe form of female genital mutilation. It’s a critical step in healing, reducing childbirth risks, and improving the quality of life for 10 million women living with Type 3 FGM across the world.
Every day, a staggering 121 women (Scientific Reports, 2023) and 55 newborn babies (WHO, 2006) die from complications linked to FGM, amounting to over 44,000 maternal deaths (WHO, 2023) and 20,000 newborn deaths each year. Type 3 FGM dramatically increases these risks, directly causing obstructed labour and severe haemorrhaging, and neonatal mortality rises by 55% with Type 3 FGM (WHO 2006).
One 19-year-old FGM survivor, pregnant and in need of the procedure, shared her story with us. The cost of the operation was beyond her reach, but her need was urgent to avoid life-threatening complications during childbirth.
OUR SOLUTION:
THE BORN PERFECT MEDICAL SUPPORT
Frontline Ending FGM is bringing world-class medical care to the frontline, training local midwives in life-saving care for FGM survivors. Our mobile clinics provide a simple, 20-minute deinfibulation procedure that offers immediate relief and a 70% reduction in childbirth risks. Utilising simple equipment, including sterile tools and numbing cream, we aim to take this service into the heart of the most remote villages across Africa, providing life-changing support to women who would otherwise struggle to access it.
For those hesitant to do the procedure due to stigma and societal pressure, women are provided with a medical certificate stating that the deinfibulation procedure was done as a medical requirement for her health. Beyond the procedure, our clinics provide vital services like diagnosis, emotional support, and medical certificates, ensuring a holistic path to healing.
your donation, their healing
Despite costing £100-150 for women in countries such as Somalia, this deinfibulation procedure costs less than £15 per woman for our programme, but its impact is immeasurable. Your donation ensures that we can bring this life-saving service to every woman in need, free of cost. Join us in our mission to leave no woman behind.