- Pregnancy
- Baby & Toddler
- Parents
- Getting Pregnant
- Baby Names
- Product Reviews
-
Registry
- Community
-
More
Want a personalized experience?
Download the free app
3rd Trimester
Does circumcision have a medical purpose??
I've heard conflicting views from my doctor and possible pediatrician. I don't really want to circumcise immediately after birth but the baby's doctor says that it prevents some infection. My OB says she wants a decision by my next appointment (tomorrow) and I'm still not sure! Advice would be much appreciated!!
This discussion has been closed.
Re: Does circumcision have a medical purpose??
Nope, there is no medical reason to circumcise.
The American Academy of Pediatrics doesn't recommend it as a routine procedure because there's no medical need for it (they don't recommend unnecessary procedures).
From a children's hospital: "The risks and benefits are both too small to swing the vote either way. This is a parental decision, not a medical decision." - https://www.childrensmercy.org/pa/view.aspx?id=191
DH & I are choosing not to circumcise.
You're going to get ALOT of responses. But here's the research we did. There's one medical study out there that gay men who had unprotected sex and were uncircumcised had a higher chance of contracting HIV. And that was the only research I could find (and I'm a librarian...).
We decided not to. But it's been interesting figure out how to teach our DS (4.5) how to keep it clean etc, since DH who is circumcised (and is embarrassed to NO end) has had to recently start discussing/showing how to do that.
My opinion--if DS wants to do this later as an adult, he can.
We're having a little girl, but DH and I had this discussion prior to finding out what we're having...
I've heard that it's easier to keep clean when it's circumcised... I would assume this helps to prevent infection and keep bacteria from growing out of control in the folds. As for doing it immediately after birth, I would. In our birth class, they basically said it's easier on the LO to do it right away, it's quick and painless, and that it's not something they'll remember happening.
My DH's viewpoint is that he wanted it to be done so our LO wasn't made fun of when he would shower after gym class and whatnot with other boys, as well as in the future when it comes to dating. I agree with DH in the fact that kids can be mean, and it just seems like the norm... But, it's totally up to you!
There is no medical reason. It use to be frowned upon to not have your son circumcised. It was considered "unclean, and unhealthy." Now there is just as much reason to not get it done as there is to get it done. They have proven that it has the same beneifts and down falls as not getting it done.
DH and I didnt circumcise DS and we dont plan to this time around either. The reason we came to that decision is because DH isnt so we didnt want DS to be goin potty with daddy and wondering why it was that his was different then daddy's. (Sorry if its TMI) but no no medical reason.
I read an article recently statin that a new study shows that circumcised men are less likely to get prostate cancer. I can get the link later.
Also the pediatrician we are using says he treats far fewer infections for little boys who are circumcised.
I realize this is not the popular view on this board and that's fine. I am team green so don't jump on me yet- I don't even know if it's a boy!
We plan to anyway for cleanliness reasons. It is pretty easy for a young person to keep things clean in that area but as a person ages it can become more difficult. We'd rather go ahead and circumcise while LO won't remember it than let it become an issue later on.
There are quite a few studies out there on transmission of HPV to partners (which causes cervical cancer in his partner), increased likelihood of UTIs, and penile cancer among uncircumcised men. We felt that there were zero negative aspects to being circumcised vs the potential risks and hygiene issues that can occur from being uncircumcised.
I don't know why your OB would insist on the decision being made at your next appointment...I didn't think that it was even something the OB does, but rather something that the pediatrician would do.
This was a very hot topic in my house...until we found out we were having a girl
Many of my friends have boys who are not circumcised, and few have husbands who are not circumcised. My DH is not circumcised...and as a child care worker, I have seen both cut and uncut boys. I have only seen one boy need a circumcision and that was more because he was still in diapers at almost 4 and would not allow his parents to bathe him. Now, one of my friend's DH who is uncut gets recurring yeast infections, but he also doesn't have the best grooming habits. My DH got a yeast infection from me once when I had a very mild/beginning yeast growth and was unaware of it. Other than that, he has never had an issue. IMHO, if you are clean and teach your boy how to clean/dry himself, it shouldn't really be an issue. I also have read that removing the foreskin decreases sensitivity in the head of the penis. The majority of my research led me to learn that being circumcised decreases the transmitting of STD's...but not as much as having safer sex by using a condom, which we should all teach our children to do. It seems that circumcision is more of a cultural choice...
All that being said, I am not a medical professional, so here are few links I have found doing a quick google search.
https://www.medicinenet.com/circumcision_the_medical_pros_and_cons/article.htm
https://kidshealth.org/parent/system/surgical/circumcision.html#
https://www.doctorsopposingcircumcision.org/DOC/mrsa.html
https://www.circumcision.org/
and there are tons more sites out there.
Good luck on your decision!~
Unless there is a family history of issues. For instance, my sister chose not to circumsize my nephew, as she saw not medical reason to. Unfortunately the head of my nephew's penis was larger than the skin opening and he would get constant infections. After talking to several family members, this may have been a family trait although most were circumcised at birth so the issue was never really brought up. Anywya, at 10 years old my nephew ended up having to get circumcised and it was terribly painful and traumatizing. Needless to say my sister felt terrible for having to put him through so much pain. I'm just saying, do your homework and talk to family members also.
I think its more of a cleanliness issue... as in easier to clean. We circumcised DS#1 (he didn't even cry) so we will be doing DS#2
It's not prostate cancer, it's penile cancer, which is very, very rare to begin with.
Daughter born at 34 weeks due to PPROM, July 2012
Expecting baby #2, May 8, 2015
May 2015 signature challenge for January: "You had ONE job!"
Remember that statistics are showing a rate MUCH closer to 50/50, so it's likely likely that little boys born now wont be in the minority on this, or at least not by much. Plus, I figure it's never a bad thing for LO to learn that 'everyone is different and there's nothing wrong with that'.
OP, DH and I couldn't find any reason to justify circ'ing DS, and we wont circ this LO either
I feel like the circumcision debate is turning into the new formula vs. breastfeeding debate where a lot of people will accuse others of bad parenting whatever decision they make.
I'm an HIV researcher (not a biologist, though), so I'm biased in that I know circumcision has benefits for reduction in transmission (original studies came out of heterosexual sex in eastern Africa but it's pretty much accepted as fact as it helps reduce transmission by a small percentage), and I also know that people vastly overestimate how 'safe' they are from infection. But at the same time, it's a very small percentage. I have no idea how that percentage compares with the chance of things going wrong in a circumcision.
I think the more important question is around bodily integrity and, frankly, the emotional aspects of 'fitting in'. Not being a man, I have no idea how they feel about it, but from a lay perspective, very few men are mounting pro or con campaigns, so I suspect it's not a huge deal in the long run either way. So far this post has had very tame responses, but in the past they have been downright nasty on both sides about which is 'better' for things like sexual satisfaction and attractiveness. Since non-circ'ing is become more common, I hope that the issue of fitting in becomes less of an issue than it was in our generation where circumcision was extremely common.
I think you have to make the decision that's right for you and your family, and not feel bad about your choice. I'm just glad I'm having a girl
Good luck with your decision.
In some cases YES it is necessary.
My son was born with hypospadias and a partially formed foreskin. He had repair surgery and circumcision at 12 months old. And another repair surgery at 18 months old.
Mama to Mason (7) and Asher the Crasher (3).
Married to Topher (10 years). 32 years young in Oklahoma.
This is highly scientific research here! My DH is circumcised. My son is not. The baby we are about to have is a boy and will not be circumcised.
If you properly care for an uncircumcised penis, infection won't be an issue. There are better ways to prevent STD's than cutting a piece of the body off. And there has not been a solid link to lower cancer rates by any stretch of the imagination. No major medical association recommends routine male circumcision. That kinda wraps it up for me.
Ewww. Just to think he sticks that dirty d!ck in her...
5 DIUI - BFN
IVF#1 - BFP - AJ 7/12
FET#1 - BFP Due 7/24/14
I agree, as well.
Because of the conflicting opions out there and the lack of strong research, I gave DH complete control over the decision.
HAHAHAHAHA!
At the time of our first son's birth, the CDC was not recommending it. Now they have no stance on it.
Neither of our boys are circumcised. We aren't Jewish or any other religion that believes in it.
There is a study showing it decreases AIDs, but it was done in S. Africa and there is also more awareness and education on AIDs as well.
It's up to you. It's a hard decision.
I figure if my boys want to get it later I will pay for it.
When I was pregnant with DS I looked and looked and couldn't find a medical purpose. DS was not circumcised and we haven't had a bit of problem in 2 years.
FWIW, I know of two little boys who have had urinary problems of one sort or another. One was circumcized at birth, the other wasn't...
Our little one is a baby girl, but we still had a discussion about this issue, even before we found out we were expecting!
My Husband is European, and not Jewish or Muslim, thus not circumcised. He's never had any health problems because of remaining 'intact', and being circumcised without religious motivation is NOT normal/common here at all. (By 'here', I just mean the European continent)
We've already fully committed to not circumcising any future sons of ours. It is an incredibly personal decision, but I just feel that if it is not part of your faith structure, it's unnecessary, and frankly a little bizarre...
Why I didn't have it done: All major health organizations have stated that it is not medically necessary. It is my son's body and if he wants his body altered (in a way that isn't medically necessary) he can make that choice. I also don't like the message that it would send to my son that a part of a boy's body is "dirty" or "unattractive" in some way. Can you imagine making the same argument to alter a little girl's body in some way? Obviously there are situations where it is medically necessary because of the way that a little boy's body is individually. But I would not feel like I was meeting my responsibility of respecting my son's autonomy if I made the decision to alter his body without a very solid medical reason behind it. Those are the reasons I chose not to circumcise my son.
Depends on who you ask. But according to the American Academy of Pediatrics -- NO, it does not. They do not recommend it for "health benefits".
https://9davids.blogspot.com/2010/11/50-reasons-to-leave-it-alone.html
actually most little boys are NOT circumcised 80% of the world's men are not circumcised and they are not getting infections all the time either. Where are you getting this info? My husband is not circ'd and never once had an infection in 38 years. You teach them to keep themselves clean its not that hard.