Supporting the decision for female genital mutilation/cutting and its predictors among healthcare providers in Upper Egypt

In Egypt, a growing number of female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) procedures among girls are conducted by professional healthcare providers (HCPs). This study aimed to identify the prevalence of health professionals’ support for FGM/C and its predictors among HCPs in Upper Egypt. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 385 HCPs working in the gynaecology and obstetrics specialty for the Egyptian Ministry of Health in the Asyut Governorate. Data was collected using a self-administered questionnaire that assessed personal characteristics, HCPs training in and knowledge of FGM/C, the HCPs’ attitudes towards the practice of FGM/C, as well as their involvement in the practice (medicalized FGM/C), FGM/C in their own family and the decision to support FGM/C for girls when consulted. Almost one third of the HCPs studied supported the decision for FGM/C or were not clearly against FGM/C (34.3%) for girls when consulted. The adjusted predictors of support for FGM/C or not being clearly against FGM/C among Egyptian HCPs were: increasing age (AOR = 1.03, 95% CI: 1.01–1.06), low scores on attitude against medicalized FGM/C (AOR = 0.610, 95% CI: 0.49–0.75) and the predominance of FGM/C in the area where HCPs were raised (AOR = 2.410, 95% CI: 1.22–4.75). There is still a substantial proportion of Egyptian HCPs who support FGM/C for girls or are not clearly against FGM/C when consulted. There is a need to intensify efforts to direct education programmes towards HCPs, especially those who are older, who have a positive attitude towards FGM/C medicalization and who were raised in areas with a predominance of FGM/C.