Mother to daughter transmission of Female Genital Mutilation among African immigrants in Italy

The feminization of African international migration flows led to an increased presence of women with female genital mutilation (FGM). In Italy as well as other countries the increasing need to have more detailed information on this practice among immigrants leaded researchers to gather primary data in order to investigate topics such as prevalence in emigration, most diffused types of excision, health consequences, related socio-economic factors and attitudes on circumcision of second generation girls. According to this approach the contribute presented here has the aim to assess the determinants of mother-to-daughter transmission of FGM among African immigrants living in Italy by means of a survey including un ad-hoc module. Main results using multilevel analysis techniques indicate that once other factors (including family and community effects) are held constant, covariates like mother education and experience of FGM, family support for FGM, daughters’ year of birth and being born in emigration are strongly associated with the process of mother to daughter transmission of FGM. Strong differences are also observed across communities.