Should Boys be Circumcised?

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 • It eliminates the risk of phimosis, which affects 1 in 10 older boys and men. This condition refers to a tight foreskin that cannot be pulled back fully, so making cleaning under it, and passing urine, difficult. Phimosis also greatly increases the risk of penile cancer, and is the cause of foreskin and catheter problems in nursing homes.

• It reduces by 3-fold the risk of inflammation and infection of the skin of the penis. One in 10 uncircumcised men get inflammation of the head of the penis (which is covered by the foreskin). This rises to 1 in 3 if the uncircumcised man is diabetic. (Diabetic men also have other severe problems.) In contrast only 2% of circumcised men get this condition.

• Means an over 10-fold decrease in risk of urinary tract infection (UTI). Whereas risk of UTI is only 1 in 500 for a circumcised boy; approx. 1 in 50 uncircumcised male infants will get a UTI. This very painful condition is particularly dangerous in infancy, and in 40% of cases can lead to kidney inflammation and disease. Sepsis and meningitis can also result. A lengthy stay in hospital is possible.

• It reduces by over 20-fold the risk of invasive penile cancer, which has a high fatality rate. One in 600 uncircumcised men get penile cancer, which often requires penile amputation.

• Reduces by 30–50% risk of prostate cancer, which affects 1 in 6 men.

• Reduces by approximately 3-fold the risk of getting HIV (AIDS), during sex with an infected woman. That is why circumcision has now been endorsed by WHO and UNAIDS to reduce the AIDS epidemic in high prevalence countries. HIV enters via the vulnerable inner lining of the foreskin of a healthy penis, but can also infect via sores anywhere on the penis (caused for example by genital herpes). In countries that have a low prevalence of HIV the risk of a heterosexual man being infected with HIV sexually is generally low. His risk, especially if uncircumcised, will be much greater if he engages in unsafe sex with people of countries in which HIV abounds.

• It affords substantial protection against sexually transmitted infections such as papilloma (wart) virus (HPV), syphilis and chancroid.

• It reduces by up to 5 times the risk of the man’s female partner being infected by chlamydia or getting cervical cancer (which is caused by HPV). The load of infectious bacteria and viruses that accumulate under the foreskin is delivered into the female genital tract during sex. Chlamydia is rising in incidence and can cause infertility (in both sexes), pelvic inflammatory disease, and ectopic pregnancy.

• It avoids the need for circumcision later for medical reasons (in as many as 10% of uncircumcised males).

• Having a penis with greater esthetic appeal to women, who also prefer it for sexual activity, one reason being hygiene.

• There is no significant difference in sensitivity of a circumcised and uncircumcised penis, nor is there any difference in sensation during sexual arousal.