Knowledge, attitude, and intention to practice female genital mutilation (circumcision) among antenatal women in Enugu, South-East Nigeria

Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) (Cutting/Circumcision) is a die-hard discriminatory practice against women with attendant medical, social, and psychological sequalae. The association of this age-long practice with socio-cultural and religious beliefs ensures that the practice as obnoxious as it is, still persists and is been abetted by trained medical personnel. 
Aim: The aim is to ascertain the level of knowledge, attitude, and the intension to practice FGM among pregnant women attending antenatal at ESUT Teaching Hospital Enugu.
Methodology: This is a prospective, questionnaire-based, cross-sectional study of 382 booked and consenting pregnant women at the antenatal clinic. Pretested interviewer-administered questionnaires were randomly administered to the women until the sample size was attained. The data was then analysed using SPSS version 25.
Results: A total of 382 pregnant women were assessed using the questionnaires. More than 95% of them were married, Christian Igbo women. About 80% of them had tertiary level of education. The prevalence of FGM in this study was 19.45. About 91.1% have heard of female circumcision while 63.4% are aware that female circumcision is a crime in Nigeria. About 65% of the respondents have good knowledge of female circumcision while 35% have poor knowledge. About 9.2% of the respondents will allow their daughter(s) to be circumcised. Level of formal education is significantly associated with practice of female circumcision. Women with secondary level of education or below were 5 times more likely to allow their daughters to be circumcised than those with tertiary level of education (p < 0.001, OR = 4.610, 95% C.I = 2.245 – 9.468).   
Conclusion:  The prevalence of FGM is obviously on the decline among antenatal women in Enugu. However, there is still a significant gap in knowledge occasioned mainly by low level of education among some antenatal women. Strategies should be put in place to educate and reorientate antenatal women on the dangers of FGM if eradication of this obnoxious practice must be achieved.