Parents face so many difficult decisions when it comes to having a child: decisions about nursing, sleep patterns, discipline, teaching methods and, in the case of boys, whether or not to circumcise. In addition to being the most common surgery for males in the U.S., circumcision has been practiced in various cultures for centuries. Yet when it comes to the health and best interest of your newborn, is circumcision the way to go?
Professor of Molecular Medical Sciences
Circumcision is a simple surgical procedure that removes the foreskin, which is a sleeve of skin covering the tip of the penis. Parents have the legal right to authorize circumcision. In order to make an informed decision, they should carefully consider the benefits and risks.
The foreskin traps bacteria and other infectious agents. It accumulates smegma, which has an unpleasant smell. Therefore removal of the foreskin improves genital hygiene and reduces risk of diseases and other conditions over the lifetime for the boy and his future sexual partners.
It has been carried out for thousands of years and 34% of males worldwide are circumcised – an enormous number for an intervention like this. For males born in the USA the rate is 90% in non-Hispanic whites and 80% in Blacks. In Australia 60% of men are circumcised, whereas in the UK it is 10-20%.
Circumcision of males confers a lifetime of medical benefits. If one adds up all of the factors listed below, conservatively, 1 in 3 uncircumcised males will, over their lifetime, develop a condition requiring medical attention. These conditions mean various degrees of suffering and in rare cases death. In contrast, getting circumcised is very safe – risk of an easily-treatable condition is 1 in 500, and of a true complication is 1 in 5,000. Moreover, a successful circumcision is very unlikely to have any long-term adverse consequences.
Next Argument
8
6
6
6
5
5
12
6
7
8
8
1
0
1
5
2
2
2
4
2
Biweekly updates on new debates and experts
Please check your email to confirm your subscription.
© 2008 Opposing Views, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Opposing Views, Inc. is not responsible for the content posted on this website. Please view full disclaimer under Terms
Expert Verified
