Female Genital Mutilation

Female genital mutilation (FGM), sometimes annotated as female genital cutting or female circumcision, is described by the World Health Organization (WHO) as comprising “all procedures that involve partial or total removal of the external female genitals, or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons (1,2)." Although these procedures are more commonly performed in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, it is estimated that more than 513,000 girls and women in the U.S. have experienced or are at risk of FGM (3,4). People may arrive in the U.S. having already had the procedure performed, but there are reports of these procedures being performed in immigrant populations by traditional practitioners, or children being sent to the family’s home country to have the procedures performed.

Female genital mutilation is internationally recognized as a human rights violation and is considered an extreme form of discrimination against women (1,2). According to U.S. federal law (18 U.S. Code § 116), it is illegal to perform FGM in the U.S. on anyone under the age of 18 years; it is also illegal to knowingly transport a girl out of the U.S. for the purpose of having FGM performed. Some states prohibit the practice on adult women. As has been echoed by other professional organizations, we support our members in providing culturally sensitive counseling regarding patients and family members requesting FGM as well as in caring for patients who have previously received FGM. We support education and training for providers to recognize and care for patients who have experienced FGM (7). We also acknowledge and recommend the need for providing comprehensive, collaborative social support services to patients who have experienced FGM. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists condemns the practice of FGM and supports all efforts to eliminate the practice of FGM in the U.S. as well as internationally. This position is aligned with those of the World Health Organization, the American Medical Association, and the American Academy of Family Physicians (1,2,5,6).

References

1. World Health Organization. Female genital mutilation. Key facts. WHO; 2025. Accessed November 14, 2025. . https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/female-genital-mutilation.

2. World Health Organization. WHO guidelines on the management of health complications from female genital mutilation. WHO; 2016. Accessed November 14, 2025. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241549646

3. Goldberg H, Stupp P, Okoroh E, Besera G, Goodman D, Danel I. Female genital mutilation/cutting in the United States: updated estimates of women and girls at risk, 2012. Public Health Rep 2016;131:340–7. doi: 10.1177/003335491613100218

4. Office on Women's Health. Female genital mutilation or cutting. OWH; 2025. Accessed November 14, 2025. https://www.womenshealth.gov/a-z-topics/female-genital-cutting

5. American Medical Association. Female genital mutilation. Expansion of AMA policy on female genital mutilation H-525.980. AMA; 2024. Accessed November 14, 2025. https://policysearch.ama-assn.org/policyfinder/detail/female%20genital%20mutilation?uri=%2FAMADoc%2FHOD.xml-0-4716.xml

6. American Academy of Family Physicians. Female genital mutilation. AAFP; 2022. Accessed November 14, 2025. https://www.aafp.org/about/policies/all/female-genital-mutilation.html.

7. Diaz MM, Brown AE, Fleet J, Steen M. Effectiveness of female genital mutilation/cutting education for health professionals: an integrative review. Nurse Educ Pract 2023;69:103621. doi: 10.1016/j.nepr.2023.103621.

Approved by the Executive Board March 2019
Amended April 2019
Amended and Reaffirmed July 2022
Reaffirmed and Amended November 2025