The possibility of midwives asking their patients more questions about the procedure comes after the Crown Prosecution Service launched an action plan in November to target FGM and moves by the Royal College of Midwives to improve its own monitoring efforts.

BBC: Midwife 'role' as NHS targets female genital mutilation

The AMA's endorsement came after lawmakers agreed to rewrite the legislation to protect doctors from prosecution if they begin to deliver a baby, but then resort to the "intact dilation and extraction" procedure to save the mother's life.

CNN: Senate OKs Late-Term Abortion Ban