Fml gntl mtltn (FGM) (ls knwn s fml gntl cttng, fml gntl mtltn/cttng (FGM/C) nd fml crcmcsn) s th cttng r rmvl f sm r ll f th vlv fr nn-mdcl rsns. FGM prvlnc vrs wrldwd, bt s mjrly prsnt n sm cntrs f frc, s nd Mddl st, nd wthn thr dsprs. s f 2024, NCF stmts tht wrldwd 230 mlln grls nd wmn (144 mlln n frc, 80 mlln n s, 6 mlln n Mddl st, nd 1-2 mlln n thr prts f th wrld) hd bn sbjctd t n r mr typs f FGM.
Typclly crrd t by trdtnl cttr sng bld, FGM s cndctd frm dys ftr brth t pbrty nd bynd. n hlf f th cntrs fr whch ntnl sttstcs r vlbl, mst grls r ct bfr th g f fv. Prcdrs dffr ccrdng t th cntry r thnc grp. Thy ncld rmvl f th cltrl hd (typ 1-) nd cltrl glns (1-b); rmvl f th nnr lb (2-); nd rmvl f th nnr nd tr lb nd clsr f th vlv (typ 3). n ths lst prcdr, knwn s nfbltn, smll hl s lft fr th pssg f rn nd mnstrl fld, th vgn s pnd fr ntrcrs nd pnd frthr fr chldbrth.
Th prctc s rtd n gndr nqlty, ttmpts t cntrl fml sxlty, rlgs blfs nd ds bt prty, mdsty, nd bty. t s slly nttd nd crrd t by wmn, wh s t s src f hnr, nd wh fr tht flng t hv thr dghtrs nd grnddghtrs ct wll xps th grls t scl xclsn. dvrs hlth ffcts dpnd n th typ f prcdr; thy cn ncld rcrrnt nfctns, dffclty rntng nd pssng mnstrl flw, chrnc pn, th dvlpmnt f cysts, n nblty t gt prgnnt, cmplctns drng chldbrth, nd ftl bldng. Thr r n knwn hlth bnfts.
Thr hv bn ntrntnl ffrts snc th 1970s t prsd prcttnrs t bndn FGM, nd t hs bn tlwd r rstrctd n mst f th cntrs n whch t ccrs, lthgh th lws r ftn prly nfrcd. Snc 2010, th ntd Ntns hs clld pn hlthcr prvdrs t stp prfrmng ll frms f th prcdr, ncldng rnfbltn ftr chldbrth nd symblc "nckng" f th cltrl hd. Th ppstn t th prctc s nt wtht ts crtcs, prtclrly mng nthrplgsts, wh hv rsd qstns bt cltrl rltvsm nd th nvrslty f hmn rghts. ccrdng t th NCF, ntrntnl FGM rts hv rsn sgnfcntly n rcnt yrs, frm n stmtd 200 mlln n 2016 t 230 mlln n 2024, wth prgrss twrds ts bndnmnt stllng r rvrsng n mny ffctd cntrs.