Measuring female genital mutilation/cutting in Switzerland: from indirect prevalence estimates to Swiss University Hospital data

The aim of this PhD was to evaluate the available FGM/C data in Switzerland to help improve future FGM/C monitoring and routine data collection. It is based on five interrelated studies, employing indirect, direct and routine hospital data collection methods:
Firstly, an update of the national indirect estimates for women and girls living with FGM/C in Switzerland was conducted, with the use of annual estimates for 2010-2018. Secondly, based on systematic reviews and available literature on complications of FGM/C, we compiled a comprehensive list of diseases, disorders and health-related consequences of FGM/C in alignment with the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) ninth and tenth revisions. Thirdly, we gathered anonymized data from Swiss University hospitals about women and girls with a primary or secondary ICD diagnosis of FGM/C and their co-morbidities. And finally, we conducted a national exploratory cross-sectional
study, assisted by the Swiss HIV Cohort (SHCS). We administered two questions on history of FGM/C and previous discussion about it with a healthcare professional during routine visits between June and December 2019 to help validate our estimates for the number of women living with FGM/C in Switzerland.