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Facts and Feelings About Circumcision
During my 16 years of marriage, there have been very few issues on which my husband and I fervidly disagreed. Whether or not to circumcise our son, however, was one of them.
When we found out in early 1993 that we were having a boy, I just assumed he'd be circumcised. But my husband, Alain, was born and raised in France, where circumcision is not done routinely the way it is here, and he assumed exactly the opposite. We did not have a religious reason for circumcision, as Jews and Muslims do. "Why would you want to put a baby through a painful, unnecessary surgery?" Alain asked me, incredulous.
Why, indeed.
The real reason I wanted to do it was so our son wouldn't look different in the locker room when he got older. Alain didn't think that was a good enough reason to snip off the baby's foreskin, a fold of skin that covers the tip of the penis. Maybe I didn't think so, either. I heard varying rumors: Uncircumcised men have stronger sexual sensations because the tip of the penis is not constantly exposed to the everyday elements; it's hard to keep an uncircumcised penis clean. So I started doing research, looking for a solid, medical reason to warrant the procedure.
The Procedure's Pros and ConsAt that time, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) said that circumcising newborn boys did have potential medical advantages, primarily related to preventing urinary tract infections (UTIs). But by 1999, the AAP had formed a task force on circumcision that decided the procedure shouldn't be routinely recommended. The task force based this policy on 40 years of studies of both circumcised and uncircumcised boys, and it concluded the following:
- Problems with the penis, such as irritation, can occur with or without circumcision.
- With proper care, there is no difference in hygiene.
- There may or may not be differences in sexual sensation in adult men.
- There is an increased risk for a UTI in uncircumcised males, especially babies under 1 year. However, the risk for a UTI is still less than 1 percent.
- Newborn circumcision provides some protection from penile cancer, which only occurs in the foreskin. However, the risk of this cancer is very low in developed countries such as the United States.
"We also looked at whether being circumcised prevents HIV in a man's partner," says Jack Swanson, MD, a pediatrician in Ames, Iowa, and a task force member. "There may be a slight benefit to being circumcised, but the statistics were inconclusive. There weren't any medical reasons that were convincing enough for us to say that all boy babies should be circumcised," he says.
However, in 2002, a study found male circumcision was linked to a reduced risk of penile human papillomavirus infection (HPV). The study also showed a lower risk of cervical cancer in the current female partners of circumcised men with a history of multiple sexual partners. (HPV is associated with an increased risk of cervical cancer.) But no medical evidence has been weighty enough to reverse the AAP's policy on circumcision. In fact, this past May it reaffirmed its stand that circumcision shouldn't be recommended unless the procedure is essential to the newborn's health.
The Bottom Line?"If you want it done for nonmedical reasons, that's the parents' choice," says Dr. Swanson.
And most American parents choose newborn circumcision in spite of medical advice; in fact, for many it's a no-brainer. "My husband and I probably spent only 10 minutes discussing it," says Suzette MacKenzie, of Concord, Massachusetts, of their son's circumcision last year. "We didn't want Spencer to look different from his dad."
The MacKenzies aren't alone in their view. Gabrielle Horn, of Brooklyn, New York, delivered a boy in March and had him circumcised, too. "I went to high school in Marin County, California, in the early '90s. My friend's boyfriend was uncircumcised, and it was a topic of conversation among the girls," she recalls. "But if I lived in a place where 80 percent of the boys were not circumcised, then I probably wouldn't do it."
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My grandson was ok with non-circumcism until he was 12 years old. Then he adamantly wanted it. I told him that 50% of boys in the world weren't circumcised, and he said "well, 100% of my friends are". So he had it done 1 month before his 13th birthday and is really happy about it.
9/12/2011 12:02:02 PM Report Abuseit all really comes down to the parent(s) chooice of what they do for there child and not of days most docs will numb the newborn boy befor doing surgery witch mean no pain for the baby most cases if a baby is screamin/crying is because the doc does not numb the area up first of the baby has his legs and arms straped down witch any newborn hates to have there arms and legs strigh because they are sappousr to be bent up
5/28/2011 08:26:19 PM Report AbuseI am so glad that there are so many of you that are against circ. I decided not to circ my 5 year old, and he's perfectly fine. I have another baby on the way, another boy, and I"m not going to circ him either. Its just not right. If they want to get circumcisied when they're adults, then they can make that dicision. But for right now, its just not fair to decide for them.
5/14/2011 11:03:40 AM Report AbuseParents considering or arguing about infant circumcision should REALLY check out Circumcision Decision-Maker at http://circumcisiondecisionmaker.com It takes you through each of your reasons for wanting circumcision one at a time and then gives you some expert opinion. It also has a lot of information on anatomy and washing instructions.
4/24/2011 07:15:44 PM Report Abuse"anteater for life?" Yeah... I guess that's the majority of the world, then. And my HUSBAND is so against circ. And he's *gasp* circumcised. I'm glad no one decided to chop off part of my labia because they were so full of themselves to think that they had a right in that choice when I was an infant!
3/26/2011 10:37:42 AM Report Abusehave you ever watched a baby boy being circumsized? He screams in pain, tears rolling down his tiny face, his tiny hands flexing open and closed trying, his eyes huge with pain. Why would you put your baby through this?
2/12/2011 09:47:40 AM Report AbuseLOL ant eater for life. fun to clean to i can imagine. i like all the comments comming from women...like they have any idea
1/29/2011 11:59:10 AM Report AbuseCutting of a baby humans body parts was a no brainer? please. Plus I say again, if dad lost his leg, would you then take jr to have his leg removed? Plus, the circ rate is down to around 30% so who is going to look different. Such a small mind that thinks they have the right to mutilate an infant for social reasons!! .
1/13/2011 11:04:20 AM Report AbuseThank you for a somewhat balanced article on this issue, but the information on intact care is wrong: The average age for foreskin retraction is 10 and parents/caregivers/doctors should never retract it, even gently, for cleaning or to see how far it can go without forcing it. There is no need for a boy to wash under the foreskin until puberty, and soap should not be used.
11/1/2010 03:52:41 PM Report AbuseI very much appreciate this article and the responses to it. Almost all the articles from national magazines are clearly for it and are very one sided. The truth is..it's a million dollar industry. Only reason we still do it here in America. Thank you to the author and her husband!
10/30/2010 10:01:04 AM Report AbuseHere's an American male's response: Choice: A man who was circumcised as an infant has lost his right to an intact, normal, and whole penis and the right to control what happens to his own body. The male Prepuce (foreskin) provides protective, sensual, and sexual functions. BOTTOM LINE: HIS PENIS, ONLY HIS CHOICE. Men (and women) who are allowed as children to keep their whole, intact, normal genitalia, DON¿T choose to amputate parts as adults!
10/3/2010 01:03:41 PM Report AbuseI had thought that I would have my son circumcised once the time came - but upon discussion with my husband and some research I couldn't find a compelling reason to have it done. When we agreed against the circumcision I was surprised at what a relief it was and how much better I felt about not having my infant cut. It just seems so violent.
9/25/2010 09:42:15 AM Report AbuseI agree. I was exhausted and in pain after having our son via c-section, so I gave in to my husband, agreeing to have the baby circumcised despite months of adamantly protesting the proceedure. Our baby is fine now and fully healed, but I sincerely regret mutilating such a personal area of his body which he was naturally born with.
9/2/2010 06:15:20 PM Report AbuseCircumcision is ridiculous and un-necessary. Why would a baby be born in need of having part of his body cut off?? If it's there, then it is natural and necessary to his body.
8/21/2010 07:58:04 AM Report AbuseYou don't make decisions about cutting off part of your body just because of the minuscule amount of your life spent in locker rooms!
7/31/2010 11:00:15 AM Report Abuse