Question

A hundred years ago, circumcision was performed on infant boys in relation to their religious beliefs. Around the middle of last century, circumcision was presented as a modern way to improve hygiene and prevent certain conditions, and the procedure was routinely performed on all male babies. In the 1980s and 1990s, circumcisions became a matter of debate as some insurance companies would not pay for them, deeming them an unnecessary procedure. Some parents felt the procedure was unnatural. There was even a case of a young man who sued his parents for having him circumcised in infancy, and depriving him of his natural birthright. What are your feelings about this procedure?

Answer 1

Circumcision is the surgical removal of the foreskin, the tissue covering the head of the male genitial organ. Circumcision for religious reasons is usually carried out within some days of the boy being born. During a circumcision, the foreskin is freed from the head of the male genetial organ (glans), and the excess foreskin is clipped off. If done in the newborn period, the procedure takes about five to ten minutes. Adult circumcision takes about one hour. The circumcision generally heals in 5 to 7 days.

Health benefits of circumcision

There is some evidence that circumcision has health benefits, including:

• A decreased risk of urinary tract infections.
• A reduced risk of some sexually transmitted infections in men, such as HIV.
• Reduced risk of penile cancer.
• Prevention of balanitis (inflammation of the glans) and balanoposthitis (inflammation of the glans and foreskin).
• Prevention of phimosis (the inability to retract the foreskin) and paraphimosis (the inability to return the foreskin to its original location).
• Circumcision may reduce a man’s risk of developing prostate cancer, according to some research but further research is needed.

Risks of circumcision

Like any surgical procedure, there are risks associated with circumcision. However, this risk is low. Problems associated with circumcision include:

• Pain
• Risk of bleeding and infection at the site of the circumcision
• Irritation of the glans
• Increased risk of meatitis (inflammation of the opening of the male genetial organ)
• Risk of injury to the male genetial organ