A systematic review of doctors' experiences and needs to support the care of women with female genital mutilation.

<bold>Background: </bold>Female genital mutilation (FGM) involves partial or complete removal of the external female genitalia or other injury for non-therapeutic reasons. Little is known about the knowledge and skills of doctors who care for affected women and their practice in relation to FGM.<bold>Objectives: </bold>To examine the FGM experiences and educational needs of doctors.<bold>Search Strategy: </bold>A structured search of five bibliographic databases was undertaken to identify peer-reviewed research literature published in English between 2004 and 2014 using the keywords "female genital mutilation," "medical," "doctors," "education," and "training."<bold>Selection Criteria: </bold>Observational, quasi-experimental, and non-experimental descriptive studies were suitable for inclusion.<bold>Data Collection and Analysis: </bold>A narrative synthesis of the study findings was undertaken and themes were identified.<bold>Main Results: </bold>Ten papers were included in the review, three of which were from low-income countries. The analysis identified three themes: knowledge and attitudes, FGM-related medical practices, and education and training.<bold>Conclusions: </bold>There is a need for improved education and training to build knowledge and skills, and to change attitudes concerning the medicalization of FGM and reinfibulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]