Objective: To assess the influence of criminalization law on the prevalence and proportion of female genital mutilation (FGM) and evaluate the attitude of population and health providers towards FGM.
Study design: Cross sectional study.
Patients and methods: All females aged 5-25 years who attended Sohag and Qena University hospitals between September 15, 2008 and September 15, 2010 and health providers (nurses, young physicians and medical staff members) working at both hospitals were invited to fill two questionnaires. The first questionnaire provided data about the females, their parents, prevalence and proportion of FGM during the years from 2000 to 2009 while the other reported the attitude of health providers towards FGM.
Results: The prevalence of FGM was 89.2%. The proportion of FGM was 9.6% at 2000 then since 2006 decreased progressively till reaching 7.7% at 2009 (p = 0.05). The vast majority of procedures were undertaken by the general practitioners. In total, 88.2%, 34.3% and 14.9% of nurses, physicians and staff members respectively were proponents for performing FGM.
Conclusions: The prevalence of FGM is still very high. Criminalization law had a limited influence on the proportion of FGM. General practitioners performed most procedures and most nurses were proponents for performing FGM.