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Having a baby requires you to make many decisions. One to which you might not have given much thought is circumcision. This is a decision that only you can make; circumcision usually is not required and is not done automatically. Knowing the facts as currently understood will help you decide. Discuss this with your doctor, so that you may understand the reasons for and against circumcision.




     
What is it? Circumcision is the removal of the foreskin (prepuce) of the penis. This done using a special tools. Often a local anesthetic is used to numb the penis. The procedure takes only a few minutes. Your baby may experience some pain and discomfort for a day or so.
Historical reasons. For many years, circumcision was thought to provide several medical benefits:

• Prevented tightening of the foreskin (phimosis).
• Prevented penile and prostatic cancer in the man, and cervical cancer in his spouse.
• Reduced the man’s chance of contracting venereal disease.

Study of these claims has, for the most part, discounted them:

• Phimosis is common to most newborns. The foreskin gradually separates as the child matures.
• Because penile cancer appears to be related to poor penile hygiene, circumcision may lessen the chance of this developing since it makes hygiene simpler. But proper cleansing is easily done and should also prevent this rare disease.
• The risk of venereal disease is not affected by circumcision.


Modern reasons. Today, parents request circumcision for their son for physical reasons, such as cleanliness and for cultural reasons. After reviewing all medical data, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) stated:

“There is no absolute medical indication for routine circumcision of the newborn. In conditions such as congenital anomaly, prematurity, illness, or bleeding disorder, circumcision may be contraindicated. It may be medically indicated for phimosis which restricts the flow of urine; for children living in tropical areas, where infections such as balanitis (infection of the foreskin and glans) are common; or when proper hygiene is not possible.”

Even though the AAP stated that daily personal hygiene offers “all the advantages of routine circumcision without the attendant surgical risk,” parents must be willing and able to perform the necessary cleansing. And they will have to teach their son to do this himself at a later age. If these are undesirable or impossible, circumcision is indicated.

Circumcision risks. Even though circumcision is minor surgery, it is still has the risks assocaited with surgery. The risk of complications during circumcision is very low.The most common complication of circumcision is bleeding and infection. Infectious complications are usually just local redness and discharge. Severe outcomes have been rare. As with any surgical procedure, scarring of the penis can occur.

Whether or not your son is circumcised is your decision, made in consultation with your doctor. There are no routine medical reasons for circumcision and the procedure carries a small risk for the child. However, there are religious and/or cultural indications for circumcision which cannot be ignored. If you do not have your son circumcised, you must be willing to cleanse him properly, and to teach him to do this himself as he gets older.
 
 
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