Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Women Towards Female Genital Mutilation in Lejet Kebele, Dembecha Woreda, Amhara Regional State, Northwest, Ethiopia, 2014

Abstract

Introduction: Female genital mutilation (FGM) is cutting away part of the female external genitalia or other injuries to the female genitalia for cultural purpose. This practice is against human reproductive health rights with many serious consequences in physical, mental, social and psychological makeup of girls. Therefore, study the prevalence of FGM among under five daughters, knowledge about the ill health effects of FGM and attitude of mothers towards FGM was timely to recommend the concerned body according to the findings. Methods and materials: community based cross sectional study design was among 235 women with under five years of age daughters. Systematic random sampling was used and data were entered in to Epi data version 3.1 then exported to SPSS version 16 for further analysis. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression was fitted to identify associated factors. Result: about 94% of mothers and 34% of their under five daughters were circumcised. More than half of them had positive attitude to continue FGM practice with poor knowledge about ill health effects of FGM. Conclusion and recommendation: Majority of women were in poor knowledge of the ill health effects of FGM. Most of them had favorable attitude to continue FGM among their daughters. The practice of FGM is very high among women and under five daughters. Most of the FGM practices were done in the seventh days of life. The government should strength the legal measurement taken on FGM practice involvers. The woreda health office should strengthened HTP/FGM discouragement through health extension workers (HEW), community leaders and women involvement. Continued community conversation on the ill health effects of FGM should be implemented.