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I'm pregnant with a baby boy. should I have him circumcised?
Although neonatal circumcisions—those performed shortly after birth—are common in the United States, not every culture routinely performs this surgery on neonatal males. A 2007 World Health Organization (WHO) report estimated that only 30 percent of the world’s males are circumcised.
This may lead some parents to wonder if the procedure is necessary. The truth is that there is no definitive answer.
In March of 1999, the American Academy of Pediatrics published a policy statement on neonatal circumcision. AAP found that although evidence suggests numerous health benefits from neonatal circumcision, the facts do not support making circumcision a routine procedure for all newborn males.
The study also provides parents with recommendations on how to approach this important decision. Parents should consider whether their physician believes the procedure is essential to their child’s well being. The best interest of the child should be foremost, and ultimately, the parents should judge whether the potential benefits of the procedure outweigh the risks.
Historical Perspective
Egyptian tomb paintings dating
back to 2300 B.C. contain the first historical
depiction of male circumcision.
In early days the practice had more to
do with religious or ethnic identity
than medical concerns.
As mankind’s understanding of medicine expanded, so did the belief that circumcision was more hygienic. However, starting with the 1971 edition of the AAP manual Standards and Recommendations of Hospital Care of Newborn Infants, the group took the stance that there was no inherently necessary medical reason for circumcision.
New research involving urinary tract infections and sexually transmitted diseases led AAP to amend their position, stating that circumcision has both potential benefits and risks. The 1989 revision of the AAP manual reflected the change.
In March 1999, the AAP Task Force on Circumcision once again evaluated existing evidence, concluding that although circumcision may provide health benefits, routine circumcision of male newborns is not warranted.
Pros and Cons
Before deciding whether or not to
have your son circumcised, consider
the following potential benefits and
risks.
• Surgery of any sort carries inherent risks. Some complications of circumcision are excessive bleeding and infection. Occurrences of these complications are low—between .02 and .06 percent—and usually minor. If you do choose to circumcise, local analgesia should be used. If circumcision is not performed shortly after birth, general anesthesia may be necessary.
• Uncircumcised males are three times more likely to develop penile cancer than those circumcised shortly after birth. Penile cancer is rare regardless of circumcision status, with an occurrence rate of one out of every 100,000 males in the United States.
• Uncircumcised males have an increased risk of developing a urinary track infection during the first year of life. This risk, however, is less than one percent.
(Figures obtained from the American Academy of Pediatrics Task Force on Circumcision 1999 report)
No one but you can decide if circumcision is right for your son. To learn more, visit the AAP website at aap.org and talk with your pediatrician.
from staff reports
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