title: Impact of the complete ban on female genital cutting on the attitude of educated women from Upper Egypt toward the practice.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the prevalence of female genital cutting (FGC) before and 5 years after the law completely banned the practice in Egypt, and evaluate the attitude of educated mothers of girls toward FGC in Upper Egypt.
  
  
  METHODS
  All women attending 2 outpatient clinics in Upper Egypt were approached from January 1 through November 30, 2011. A trained nurse interviewed those who had daughters, and factors influencing their attitude toward FGC were evaluated. The participants in a previous study done in the same locality acted a historical comparison group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The percentage of women who had FGC performed on at least 1 daughter was significantly lower in 2011 than in 2006 (71.6% vs 77.8%, P=0.04). The main reason for performing FGC, given by 42.6% of the participants, was family pressure. The percentage of FGC procedures practiced by physicians was significantly lower in 2011 than it was in 2006 (34.6% vs 39.3%, P=0.04).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The decrease in prevalence of FGC after its complete ban was small after 5 years, with little change in attitude among educated families in Upper Egypt. In addition to the current law, a change in attitude will be needed to wipe out this custom.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Sohag University, Sohag, Egypt.
authors.forename: Ibrahim M A
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Hassanin
authors.forename: Omar M
authors.initials: OM
authors.lastname: Shaaban
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D019093:Circumcision, Female / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D004534:Egypt; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D009035:Mothers; D009679:Nuclear Family; D015995:Prevalence; D016387:Women's Health; D055815:Young Adult