Perspectives on pediatric and adolescent gynecology from the allied health professional. Female genital cutting.

Female Genital Cutting (FGC) also known as female genital mutilation and female circumcision is a medical issue that has been exported to the West by the migration to the West of people from the countries where it has been traditionally practiced. It is practiced predominantly in 28 African countries and also some Middle Eastern countries such as Egypt the Republic of Yemen Oman Saudi Arabia and Israel and is found in some Muslim groups in Indonesia Malaysia Pakistan and India. A definitive origin of FGC is unknown but it has been found throughout history in many cultures. The practice of FGC is not confined to a particular religion and in fact predates Islam. It is a strongly rooted and community-maintained practice for which a variety of reasons are given by families. (excerpt)