The circumcision debate

The circumcision debate


I have three young sons and thus far, not one of them has been circumcised—not out of choice but out of indecision. This circumcision issue has actually become a long-running debate between my husband and me. To cut or not to cut, that is the question.

Circumcision is the surgical removal of the penis’ foreskin. For some groups, like the Jews and the Moslems, circumcision is seen as a religious rite. Others see it as a boy’s passage to manhood circumcising young lads at the cusp of adolescence. Still others practice circumcision because of health reasons. We’ve enumerated the various reasons for and against this delicate practice.

You decide.

Issue: Circumcision alleviates phimosis

FOR

A good medical reason to perform a circumcision is phimosis, a rare external congenital condition, which involves an abnormal tightness at the tip of the foreskin. Phimosis may obstruct the stream of urine causing urine to dribble out or spray in different directions. Urine could also accumulate between the tight foreskin and glans making these organs susceptible to infection. Normal sexual development may prove difficult.

AGAINST

Phimosis is an extremely rare condition. What’s more, the foreskin protects the glans from urine, stool, and external irritation. Some concerned groups see circumcision as a cosmetic procedure like ear piercing or lip stretching.

Issue: Circumcision minimizes the occurrence of urinary tract infections

FOR

Several studies of male babies in the 1970s and 1980s conclude that uncircumcised infants and children have a significantly higher incidence of urinary tract infections than circumcised males. The studies assert that the removal of the foreskin facilitates genital hygiene and reduces contamination of the tip of the glans, thus reducing the chances of an ascending bladder or kidney infection.

AGAINST

The incidence of urinary tract infections among uncircumcised male babies is too minimal as to warrant circumcision for all. The best way to prevent infections is to practice proper hygiene habits. Furthermore, circumcision exposes the tip of the penis to urine-soaked diapers that may irritate the glans.

Issue: Uncircumcised men are more susceptible to sexually transmitted diseases

FOR

During sexual intercourse, the delicate foreskin may be cut and bruised leaving uncircumcised men more susceptible to sexually transmitted diseases like syphilis and herpes that spread through breaks in the skin. The cuts may also make uncircumcised men more vulnerable to HIV infection.

AGAINST

Circumcision is not the real answer to prevention of sexually transmitted diseases. Using condoms and limiting the number of sexual partners have proven to be more effective in reducing the occurrence of STD. Even circumcised penises get sexually transmitted diseases. There are a lot of other factors to consider including access to medical care, geographical location, lifestyle, race, and socioeconomic factors.

Issue: Circumcision eliminates the possibility of cancer of the penis.

FOR

Cancer of the penis occurs almost exclusively among uncircumcised men. Some doctors also believe that cancer of the uterine cervix is less common in the female sexual partners of circumcised men.

AGAINST

The incidence of penile cancer is so low that routine newborn circumcision is not warranted. Other factors such as hygiene, family history, and sexual history are equally important in the incidence of penile cancer.

Further, asserting that females with circumcised partners have a lesser chance of contracting cervical cancer seems very far-fetched. There are weightier risk factors associated with cervical cancer such as age of first intercourse, number of sexual partners, possible viral transmission, family history, nutrition and hygiene.

Issue: Circumcision is a safe procedure.

FOR

Circumcision is a simple and safe procedure. Complications such as infection and bleeding are usually minor and preventable. Bleeding can be controlled with pressure or rarely, with a suture. Good hygiene will control infection. Marking how much skin to take off before doing the procedure ensures that the correct amount of foreskin is removed.

AGAINST

Circumcision is a potentially dangerous procedure. Excessive bleeding is the most frequent complication. Infections can occur. And if insufficient skin is removed, the end ring of the foreskin may heal by contracting and thickening, thus producing a phimosis.

Issue: Infants hardly feel the pain of circumcision.

FOR

The pain associated with circumcision lasts only for a few short minutes. Infants hardly feel it. Pacifiers seem to do the trick of alleviating the baby’s pain.

AGAINST

Infants do feel the pain especially those circumcised without anesthesia.

Issue: Circumcision is cost-effective.

It’s a cost-efficient procedure because it results to savings in a national scale by preventing penile cancer and eliminating the need for later, more costly, circumcision or phimosis and infection.

AGAINST

Some health insurers and welfare programs refuse to pay for or reimburse for a routine circumcision. In reality, the cost of neonatal circumcision far exceeds the benefits.

Issue: Boys want to look like other boys.

FOR

Since a lot of newborn males are still being circumcised, other boys want to look like the majority and like their fathers. Other boys might tease uncircumcised boys because the appearance of their genitals is different.

AGAINST

There are a lot more uncircumcised boys now than a few years ago.