The new leaves you mention are most likely
new-shoots (tips) or fruit-embryos (both are OK to keep).

Fruit do absorb (precious) energy from young fig plants;
... sooo ... why are you pinching?

No, they're definitely leaves, some about 2" diameter. They came out after I started pinching the tips and I just want to know if I should remove them to keep at 5-6 leaves per shoot. I am used to pinching tips but not removing leaves.

Rob:Leave them alone ,they are tips,of new shoots,or fruits,just like George said.
Yes they came out after you pinched because pinching forced them to come out so the Fig tree grows more fruits and branches out.

Pinching is great for 2 things as I have found

To get fruit to start to form in mild climates and to cause a tree to form more branches.

I started pinching about 3weeks ago and about 20 of my varieties are forming main crop. But this New England weather ( 60's to 70's all week) is killing me.

Here's a picture of the leaf I'm asking about, right in the middle of the picture a round leaf they have recently made an appearance. So, these should stay as they are related to fruit growth?

Also, I have a few early growth fruits that have survived, will they ripen or will they impede main crop growth? Only about 2-4 on each plant.

Your tree seem very young,so if it is ,your total number of fruits should be about a half dozen.
As for the extra leaf,you can take it off if you want,or leave it on,it is up to you.

How early in a figs life should I start pinching? I have cuttings I rooted and planted this spring and they are growing well but they are still babies.

Yes patiogarden ,remove only the top growing bud if tree does not branch out,when 25 inches tall.

Herman,

The trees are about 12 years old but only last year were transplanted into the proper container and soil. They were seriously pruned back and are growing nicely this year. One is about 7ft. tall the other two are bushier and about 5 ft. tall. I am seeing dozens of tiny new fruits beginning to form on each plant now, not only a half dozen.

Well if you think it is in proper container,then leave as many as you want.
In the pix above only one branch can be seen,so I assumed you got a young plant.

can someone please explain what is the reason for pinching?

if a tree only fruit once, and if i was to pinch this year, wouldnt that effect my fruit production next year?

Fig (tip) pinching (say) every ~6 leaves, tends to:
(a) develop more and produce the main fruit earlier, and
(b) produce more side branches for next season.

Apart from have a nicer shaped tree, another good point
about 'more side branches', is that, next season, one
will have more mature wood for the 'breba', if both
fig cultivar and climate permit (e.g., DK in the PNW).

i see. so its worth while doing with all varieties? (i have a kadota)

basically by pinching we mean cutting with our fingers-

When I pinch I just bend the growth tip and it snaps off. That way I don't get sap on my fingers. I've been doing it at 3 leaves this year to see if they will get main crop sooner. A few got ahead of me are got pinched at 6 leaves. I think it's good for all main crop varieties but I don't know about breba-only varieties like Desert King.

Pinching question...Have a brown turkey in ground. It started new shoots from the bottom. They are now about 18" talk and have about 5 leaves on them. If I pinch the tree will only be 18" talk...is this correct or am I missing something?