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Ethics Bioscience and Life (Volume 16, supplement 1 2008)

Prevalence of female genital cutting in Upper Egypt: 6 years after enforcement of prohibition law 

IMA Hassanin1, R Saleh2, AA Bedaiwy3, RS Peterson4, MA Bedaiwy4,5
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Sohag University, Egypt
2Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Faculty of Medicine, Sohag University, Egypt
3Department of Psychology, Faculty of Education, Helwan University, Egypt
4Department of Obstetrics & Gynecolgoy, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, USA
5Correspondence: e-mail: bedaiwymmm@yahoo.com

The objective of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of female genital cutting (FGC) in Upper Egypt, after 6 years of putting prohibition law into action. A total number of 3730 girls between the ages of 10–14 years were recruited to participate in this study. They were mainly preparatory school students (three urban and three rural areas). Social workers interviewed them as to whether they had undergone circumcision within the last 6 years or not. Subsequently, a questionnaire was sent to parents of girls who were positive for circumcision as to the circumstances surrounding the procedure. The prohibition law of FGC seems not to have altered the prevalence of this procedure. The majority of girls (84.9%) had had circumcision within the last 6 years with high prevalence in rural areas (92.5%). Circumcision was done for a combination of reasons, according to parents, with high rates of non-medical personnel participation (64.15%). This study’s results indicate that the practice of FGC in Upper Egypt remains high despite enforcement of law. Extensive efforts are needed both to revise public awareness and to change attitudes regarding FGC.

Reproductive BioMedicine Online 2008 http://www.rbmonline.com/Article/3125 [e-pub ahead of print on 31 January 2008]

Reproductive BioMedicine Online 2008 Vol. 16 Suppl.1. 27–31

Keywords: female circumcision, female genital cutting, female gential mutilation, FGC