Female genital mutilation: A descriptive study

Female circumcision is one of the tradition still practiced in Egypt. It is a custom related to morals, In order to study its practice in Sharkia gove rnorate, mothers of 352 girls between the ages of 14 and 16 years were inte rviewed. Results showed that 97.2% of girls in rural areas were circumcised , compared with 81.9% of the girls in urban areas. Of the various factors s tudied, we found that mothers aged 40 years and older, those married before the age of 20 years, housewives, illiterate mothers, and those living in r ural areas more significantly practiced daughter circumcision. Regression a nalysis revealed that the level of the fathers' education and the area of r esidence were the most significant factors influencing this practice. Fathe rs' illiteracy, and rural residence were the factors; most responsible for its continuation.