it is not generally done to infants...it is done in the preteen years....
I am sure Katherine has the ages but the ones I have heard of have been from nine to twelve...
You're right, Jess. That site I mentioned says it's done on infants but most commonly on girls aged 4 to 12.
As for why parents do it, I think it's because they believe it's the right thing to do. Women are the main enforcers. So I guess it's an example of a cultural bias being so strong that even those who are hurt by the bias think it's right. Kind of like Ennis, I guess.
I would say they probably don't even need education on the negative health consequences, because they can see or experience them for themselves. Despite that, they think it's a good idea. Misogynism runs really deep in some cultures.
As Lee said, it's a lot like foot binding, in that people in those cultures view unmutilated female genitals as ugly and consider girls who don't have it done to be "unmarriagable."