The type of cutting practised, the age at which it is carried out and the way in which it is done, vary according to a variety of factors. These include but are not lmited to:
- The women or girls' ethnic group;
- What country they are living in (whether in a rural or urban area);
- Their socio-economic background.
The procedure is carried out at a variety of ages, ranging from shortly after birth to sometime during the first pregnancy. Although not always the case, it most commonly occurs between the ages of 0 to 15 years and the age is decreasing in some countries. The practice has been linked in some countries with rites of passage for women.
FGM/C is usually performed by traditional practitioners using a sharp object such as a knife, a razor blade or broken glass. There is also evidence of an increase in the performance of FGM/C by medical personnel. However, medicalisation of FGM/C has been denounced by the World Health Organisation.