Circumcision...what do I do?

The information is intended for general consumer understanding and education only and is not intended to be, and is not provided as, a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

This topic has been brought to my attention from clients of mine that have asked for resources on the issue. So I decided to do some research to try and find evidence-based information on both sides of the issue. Here are some great websites I found. I found a site that is "against" circumcision, one "for" circumcision, and one that shows pros and cons in a nice and easy-to-read chart. I even found a site that has some videos that shows you the procedure.

 

When this subject is brought to my attention I tell my clients 3 things...

1. Reaearch BOTH sides of the issue

2. Watch the procedure

3. Make a desicion that is best for your son

 

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Here is a website that is "against" circumcision:

http://www.nocirc.org/

What you need to know...

1. No national or international medical association recommends routine circumcision.
2. Only the USA circumcises the majority of newborn boys without medical or religious reason.
3. Medicalized circumcision began during the 1800s to prevent masturbation, which was believed to cause disease.
4. Today's parents are learning that the foreskin is a normal, protective, functioning organ.
5. Today's parents realize circumcision harms and has unnecessary risks.
6. Circumcision denies a male's right to genital integrity and choice for his own body

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Here is a website that is "for" circumcision:

http://www.circinfo.net/

The benefits of circumcision include:

• Decrease in physical problems involving a tight foreskin.

• Lower incidence of inflammation of the head of the penis.

• Reduced urinary tract infections.

• Fewer problems with erections, especially at puberty.

• Decrease in certain sexually transmitted infections (STIs) such as HIV, HPV, genital herpes, syphilis and other micro-organisms in men and their partner(s).

• Almost complete elimination of invasive penile cancer.

• Decrease in urological problems generally.

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Here is a website with both the "Pros and Cons" of circumcision:

http://www.homiegfunk.com/RIC2.htm

Pro Routine Infant Circumcision	Con Routine Infant Circumcision
Routine Infant Circumcision is performed because it has many health benefits.	Routine Infant Circumcision has no health benefits and is performed for cosmetic, social reasons.
Truth: Routine Infant Circumcision, or RIC, has no proven health benefits, though the American Academy of Pediatrics acknowledges that there might be some potential benefits. The AAP and other medical organisations consider RIC to be a cosmetic social custom rather than a necessary surgery.
RIC is not painful; anesthesia is used and even still it happens very quickly, and is just a snip.	RIC is painful. The anesthesia does not give adequate pain relief and is only used by a small percentage of doctors.
Truth: While an infant's foreskin is considerably smaller than an adult foreskin, studies show that the procedure is more painful for infants. One reason for this is that the foreskin on an infant is fused to the glans of the penis and must be torn free in order to be removed. In adults, the foreskin is no longer fused. Also, adults may use stronger painkillers during and after the procedure, which infants do not receive due to the risks of anesthesia on infants. Studies indicate that only 4% of infants actually receive anesthesia because the risks it brings.
RIC lessens the chance of urinary tract infections.	RIC is a dramatic way to treat an infection, when it can be treated with antibiotics.
Truth: According to some studies, circumcision decreases the risk of UTIs in the first year of life. Studies are, however, very conflicting. Most studies show little or no statistical difference. Also, the risk of UTIs in males is extremely low and can be treated safely with antibiotics.
Circumcised males are more visually appealing, and will not have to worry about getting made fun of in the locker room, or by a girlfriend.	Teach self esteem, not surgery.
Truth: In America, circumcised males were more common, and studies show that among women, cut men were viewed as more appealing. However, in recent years, the rates between children that are cut and intact are very similar, showing that intact males will not be in the minority in the future. In the rest of the world, intact men are valued more and are in the majority. Over 80% of the world's males are intact.
Children are often circumcised so they will look like their fathers.	Male infants do not need penises that "look like" their fathers.
Truth: Studies show that male children neither know or care about the circumcision status of their father.
Circumcision lowers STD rates and the rate of cervical cancer in women.	Circumcision is NOT protection against these things.
Truth: Studies are very conflicting on these issues. The American Cancer Society says that circumcision is not a valid way to protect against either of these problems, and does not lessen risk. Both can be prevented with safe sex or abstinence.
Circumcision lowers the risk of penile cancer.	Penile cancer is very rare and treatable for uncut men.
Truth: In America, circumcision is correlated with a lower risk of penile cancer. However, in many countries it is associated with a higher risk, indicating that circumcision has little to do with penile cancer rates and that factors such as smoking and sexual habits are the important issues. Also, if an intact man has penile cancer on his foreskin, he will be circumcised as treatment. If a cut man gets penile cancer, his penis will be partially or completely amputated.
The benefits or circumcision outweigh the risks.	There are no benefits; only risks.
Truth: There are no proven benefits of circumcision. Some possible benefits, such as protection from infection or from penile cancer are counteracted by the risks: a child is just as likely to get an infection from a circumcision wound as there are from a UTI, and is just as likely to die from penile cancer as he is from circumcision complications.
Circumcision does not affect sexual function.	Circumcision severely hinders sexual function
Truth: While one study suggests that there is no sensitivity difference, circumcision removes the thousands of nerves, including the frenulum, which is the most sensitive part of the male body. Also, without the protection of the foreskin, the glans kernatises over the years to protect from abrasion, burying nerves under up to 10 layers of lightly callused skin. The foreskin's gliding mechanism during intercourse is lost upon circumcision.
Doctors would not support RIC if it wasn't necessary or healthy.	Doctors support RIC for the money that they make from it.
Truth: Most doctors do not support RIC and all admit it is not medically necessary; America is the only country that routinely circumcises infants. Whether these doctors do it for monetary reasons is debatable; most claim that they do it because there is a demand to circumcision for social reasons.
Infants will not remember being circumcised	Even though infants will not remember the trauma, RIC is still a violation of their rights.
Truth: Infants will not remember being circumcised, but several recent studies suggest that there is a high correlation between Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and circumcision. Furthermore, even babies that appear to "sleep" through circumcision show elevated heart rate, blood pressure, difficulty breathing and bodily stress, indicating that the sleep-reaction may in-fact be shock, which can cause lasting effects on an infants body and mind.
No man in his right mind would ever complain about being circumcised, though many intact men chose to get cut.	It is better to have the choice that an intact man has, than to not have the choice, the way an unhappily cut man does.
Truth: Most intact men do NOT chose to get cut later; the circumcision rate among intact men is less than .5% percent in America. In other countries, it is even lower. Also, due to recent information about circumcision, there is a large movement of cut men seeking to restore their lost foreskin through non-surgical and surgical methods. There are no statistics on this underground movement, though the network contains several mailing lists each with nearly a thousand members, and a recent book about restoration sold over 20,000 copies. There are also currently several lawsuits from men who are upset at being circumcised without their consent as infants.

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Here is a website that has access to videos on circumcision:

http://www.circumcisionquotes.com/video.html

I hope this helps!