The Australian Federation of Medical Women (AFMW) has formally endorsed the following Position Statement on Female Genital Cosmetic Surgery:
a. AFMW recognises the autonomy of women and upholds the right of adult women to choose to undergo lawful medical and surgical treatments.
b. AFMW advocates for the provision of informed consent for all patients undergoing medical and surgical procedures.
c. AFMW opposes the advertising or promotion of regulated health services (eg those usually provided by a health care practitioner) in a way that directly or indirectly encourages their indiscriminate or unnecessary use.
d. AFMW opposes the promotion of and use of surgical products and techniques that make unproven claims of enhancing female sexual satisfaction and/or attractiveness. AFMW believes that promoting and performing such surgery carries significant risks of physical and psychological harm to women and girls.
e. AFMW supports the use of gynaecological and plastic surgical techniques where the primary aim is to repair or reconstruct normal female anatomy following trauma, harmful traditional practices, pathologic processes or congenital anomalies.
f. AFMW opposes media depictions that directly or indirectly promote a prepubescent appearance of female genitalia as sexually desirable.
g. AFMW opposes media images that directly or indirectly promote inaccurate or unrealistic perceptions of the appearance of normal female adult genitalia.
h. AFMW supports education regarding the wide diversity of the appearance of normal female genitalia.
The position statement was formally accepted by members at the AFMW Annual General Meeting on Saturday November 17, 2012.
