Female Genital Mutilation in Infants and Young Girls: Report of Sixty Cases Observed at the General Hospital of Abobo (Abidjan, Cote D’Ivoire, West Africa)

Table 1

Main characteristics of patients’ parents.

Parents’ characteristics	Number (%)
Nationality
Cote d’Ivoire	35 (58.3)
Mali	18 (30.0)
Burkina Faso	5 (8.3)
Benin and Niger	2 (3.4)
Ethnic groups
Malinke and Senoufo (Cote d’Ivoire)	35 (58.3)
Malinke, Bambara, Dogon, and Peulh (Mali)	18 (30.0)
Senoufo (Burkina Faso)	5 (8.3)
Hausas (Benin and Niger)	2 (3.4)
Religion
Muslim	59 (98.3)
Christian	1 (1.7)
Level of education	Mothers	Fathers
Analphabets	40 (66.7)	33 (55.0)
Primary school	9 (15.0)	19 (31.7)
Secondary school	6 (10.0)	5 (8.3)
High school	5 (8.3)	3 (5.0)
Decision makers
Grandmothers	43 (71.6)
Mothers and aunts	15 (25.0)
Fathers	2 (3.4)
Parents’ motivations
Virginity and chastity	60 (100.0)
Body cleanliness	38 (63.3)
Clitoris: male organ and harmful	38 (63.3)