Publication, Part of Female Genital Mutilation
Female Genital Mutilation, Annual Report - April 2025 to March 2026
Official statistics in development
Partial data available
While producing this year's annual FGM publication we have identified a few problems in our new publication process that means that we are unable to provide a full report at this time. We are working through these issues at the moment and the data will be updated in the near future.
The impacted sections of the report are:
- Summary - values from last year's publication are stated where values are not available.
- About the data - no breakdown of FGM types is currently available.
- Part 6 Overall data completeness - missing one breakdown.
- FGM Dashboard is not currently included.
We are sorry for any inconvenience.
22 October 2026 09:30 AM
Summary: April 2016 - March 2026
- As stated in the note above, some data for this section is currently unavailable. In these cases, the applicable data from the previous annual publication is referenced and can be used as it is cumulative over a ten year period the values are unlikely to change significantly.
Introduction
43,230 women and girls who had undergone Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) have been seen at NHS services in England since April 2016, where FGM was relevant to their attendance.
Where information about when their FGM took place is known, most of these women and girls were under 18 when they underwent FGM.
In most cases there is a long gap from when the FGM was undertaken, to when information on that FGM was collected by the NHS. This is because FGM is most often seen by the NHS when an individual with FGM attends a maternity or obstetric clinic, years later, as an adult.
Age
Age when first seen: A small number of individuals with invalid dates of birth are excluded from the collection. Age is taken at the date of the first FGM-related attendance, where a person has more than one attendance recorded.
This data item is currently unavailable, see note above, the latest data available from 2024/25 reported that 98.9% of individuals where the age is known are aged 18 and over.
The Age page has further details on a variety of age breakdowns for the current reporting period (April 2025 to March 2026).
Treatment Function Area
Treatment function area (April 2016 to March 2026): ‘Paediatrics’ refers to a number of areas related to the care of babies and children. Count = number of attendances, individuals may have multiple attendances. Treatment function area is known for 82.3% of all cases.
The Treatment Function section of the Procedures and treatment page has further details on a variety of breakdowns for the current reporting period (April 2025 to March 2026).
Geographical Area
The percent of all cases that have a known Geographical area (April 2016 to March 2026) is currently unavailable, see note above, the latest data available from 2024/25 reported it was known for 45.5% of all cases.
The Country page has further details on a variety of geographical breakdowns for the current reporting period (April 2025 to March 2026).
FGM Type
FGM Types (April 2016 to March 2026):
- Removal of clitoris / prepuce.
- Removal of clitoris and labia minora.
- Narrowing of vaginal orifice (includes individuals whose original FGM type 3 has been deinfibulated or reinfibulated).
- All other harmful procedures to the female genitalia, i.e. pricking, piercing, incising, scraping and cauterisation.
Type is known for 52% of all cases.
The Procedures and treatment page has further details on a variety of FGM Types breakdowns for the current reporting period (April 2025 to March 2026).
When ALL the key information* is known about cases of FGM…
The count of women and girls that had FGM undertaken in the UK (based on data from April 2016 to March 2026) is currently unavailable, see above, the latest data available from 2024/25 reported that 685 women and girls had FGM undertaken in the UK.
(* Key information: FGM Type 1, 2, 3, 4 with known subtype and country undertaken.)
The breakdown of FGMs undertaken in the UK into "Had genital piercing as an adult" and "Had FGM that was not a genital piercing OR that took place when they were a child" is not currently available, see above, the latest data available from 2024/25 reported this split into 90.5% and 9.5% respectively.
The Overall data completeness page has further details on a variety of FGM Types breakdowns for the current reporting period (April 2024 to March 2025).
Last edited: 22 October 2026 9:31 am