A campaign in Cameroon is calling attention to a tradition said to be potentially harmful to young girls: breast ironing. Nearly a quarter of Cameroonian women are said to have experienced the practice – whereby heavy or hot objects are placed on a young girls breasts in an effort to keep them from growing. Many well-intentioned mothers believe it prevents the on-set of puberty, and may prevent unwanted pregnancies. Dr. Robinson Mbu is an obstetrician gynecologist at Cameroon’ s principal maternity in Yaoundé. Concerned about possible dangerous after-effects, English to Africa reporter Angel Tabe asked him more about the unusual practice of breast ironing. “ Breast ironing, from what we understand, is a practice where during the period when the breasts start (developing)… before puberty, some people believe that when you use hot water… a warm spoon… and massage the breasts, they will either shrink or not develop the way they are supposed to.”

 

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