Did you circumcise your son?
Two interesting stories about circumcision have caught my eye in the last few days. I wanted to share them with you because they give parents a lot to think about before choosing whether to circumcise or not to circumcise their brand-new son.
The Associated Press reports that “Circumcised males reduced their risk of infection with HPV, or human papillomavirus, by 35 percent and herpes by 28 percent. However, researchers found circumcision had no effect on the transmission of syphilis.”
“Landmark studies from three African countries including Uganda previously found circumcision lowered men’s chance of catching the AIDS virus by up to 60 percent. The new study stems from the Uganda research and looked at protection against three other STDs. The findings are reported in Thursday’s New England Journal of Medicine.”
“Evidence now strongly suggests that circumcision offers an important prevention opportunity and should be widely available,” Drs. Matthew Golden and Judith Wasserheit of the University of Washington wrote in an accompanying editorial.”
“Worldwide, only about 30 percent of men are circumcised. The figure is higher in the United States, where about 79 percent of men are circumcised, according to surveys by the National Center for Health Statistics.”
In past years the American of Pediatrics said there was not enough evidence to recommend routine circumcision of infants. The doctor’s group is reviewing its position based on recent studies.
According the Atlanta Journal-Constitution story: “The case involves a child, identified only as D.P. Jr., who was born at South Fulton Medical Center in 2004. In a suit filed two years later, his mother contended that the doctor who circumcised him removed too much tissue and that his pediatrician failed to respond when a nurse complained of excessive bleeding.”
“The tip of the penis was placed in a biohazard bag and might have been reattached if a urologist had attended to the boy within eight hours, one of the mother’s lawyers, David J. Llewellyn of Atlanta, said.”
“The jury found that both the pediatrician, Dr. Cheryl Kendall, and the physician who performed the circumcision, Dr. Haiba Sonyika, were negligent. South Fulton Medical Center was absolved of liability.”
“ ‘This case does point out one of the dangers of circumcision that every parent must seriously consider when having the procedure done,’ Llewellyn said. He contended that parents are not told of the risks of the procedure.”
So having a circumcision may help protect your child from contracting a terrible disease, but a doctor could totally screw up and damage his penis. It’s a lot for new parents to think about!
Did you circumcise your son? What did you take into account making the decision? Would you change your decision if you didn’t circumcise based on these new studies? Does the story about the little boy’s penis being damaged affect your opinion?
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144 comments Add your comment
TC
April 4th, 2009
12:09 pm
We as a country have more to argue about then stupid circumcision. Can this blog get the economy together, people jobs, or our homeless rate from growing? Come on people stop being petty. If you want a circumcision for your child then do it, if you don’t agree with it don’t do your child. There isn’t an agurment.
Ayn Rand was right
April 4th, 2009
12:15 pm
Blessed4ever – why in the world would you take a chance like that on an ELECTIVE surgery for your infant child???
Hello people, surgeons get PAID to cut. If you ask their opinion you will always be offered a surgical option.
JH
April 4th, 2009
12:20 pm
Well, no. I had the doctor do it. Probably better that way.
JH
April 4th, 2009
12:21 pm
Enter your comments here
Edward
April 4th, 2009
12:22 pm
I think it is highly inappropriate and arrogant for any female to make comments like “it just looks better” or “it doesn’t hurt much” or “it is a simple operation”. You cut off parts of your genitals and tell me how simple it is, ok?
Circumcision is barbaric and cruel, whether it is male or female. It only shows your ignorance to think otherwise.
4williec
April 4th, 2009
12:59 pm
Circumcision for my grandfather, my father, for me, for my sons, and for all my grandsons…was’nt a religious thing in the least. Just the right thing to do and all are pleased with the results. Amazing how people can make a problem where none exists. Like there arent enough real problems in the world to deal with.
catlady
April 4th, 2009
1:06 pm
Aren’t there health benefits for the female partners of circumsized males? Seems like I have read the results of studies on that, too. Something about HPV transmission maybe?
My take on it: I had my son circumsized. I was aware of the debate, even back then. I would have my grandsons circumsized. There are valid points both ways. My evaluation of the cost/benefit is positive to having it done. However, it is a personal decision made by the parents, and none of anyone else’s business unless it impacts them directly.
LD
April 4th, 2009
1:09 pm
Circumcision is a terrible procedure and completely unnecessary. Hygiene is a non-issue in our society today, and babies don’t need to worry about STD’s; adults do. And if you practice unsafe sex, you’ll get an STD one way or another. The foreskin serves a purpose. Any woman who has had sex with a person who is uncut can attest that it feels better because the foreskin makes sex easier and more enjoyable. In addition, circumcision creates scar tissue and desensitizes the penis (recall ladies, that’s why it takes some men forever to orgasm).
Betty
April 4th, 2009
3:30 pm
Actually, the circumcision covenant in the Bible was for the Jewish people, not for followers of Christ. Paul makes this very clear in Galatians chapter 5:
“5:1 For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.
2 Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you. 3 I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. 4 You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified [1] by the law; you have fallen away from grace. 5 For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.”
~English Standard Version
“If you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you.” “You are severed from Christ…”
Those are very strong statements and not something that I took lightly when making my decision. As a Christian I clearly have no religious obligation to circumcise, and in fact, have a religious obligation NOT to circumcise my son after I had determined the medical claims to be specious at best.
Christians who circumcise for religious reasons are apparently misinformed or have not bothered to read the New Testament carefully in its entirety. This is not the only NT passage that speaks poorly of the OT covenant of circumcision either.
FREEDOM
April 4th, 2009
8:08 pm
I AM HERE TO TELL ALL OF YA’LL THAT I AM NOT CIRCUMCISED AND AM CLEAN AND HAVE THE BEST OF “BOTH WORLDS”. I CAN GET IT IN WITHOUT A PROBLEM, WITH EASE ! I HAVE TRIED IT BOTH WAYS AND THE LADY’S LOVE IT WITH THE HOOD ON!ICOULD NOT IMAGINE BEING CIRC’ED..I COULD NOT IMAGINE BEING “CUT”. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT OUR FORMER PRESIDENT “JFK” WAS NOT CIRCUMCISED EITHER.. WE HAVE THE OPPRTUNITY TO GET A QUICK CLIMAX OR A SLOW ONE.. IF “GOD” BUILT YOU THAT WAY THEN LEAVE IT ALONE.THANK GOD THAT MY PARENT’S KNEW WHAT THEY WERE DOING AT THE TIME OF MY BIRTH.P.S. DO NOT MASTURBATE AS THAT IS WHY “GOD” PUT THE “LADY’S HERE…”FREEDOM” A REAL MAN !!! HEAD’S UP, EVERBODY !!!
Joe
April 4th, 2009
8:11 pm
CatLady you have heard of Gardasil right? 90-100% effective against HPV in women, 90% effective in men? And it is a personal decision but don’t you think it should be the personal decision of the guy to whom the penis is attached. Look at this boy in the article, he will now have to LIVE with his parents PERSONAL decision the rest of his life. All circumcised boys do but this one had the privilege of getting more damage than expected.
L13K
April 4th, 2009
10:48 pm
LD (mine doesn’t)
Robert
April 5th, 2009
9:32 am
“Thumbs up to Circumcision. It’s not Barbaric. It has health benefits.”
Can you provide a single scientifically credible “health benefit”? No non-NA medical organization recognizes any. Why do they only exist in America?
Robert
April 5th, 2009
9:40 am
We as a country have more to argue about then stupid circumcision. Can this blog get the economy together, people jobs, or our homeless rate from growing? Come on people stop being petty. If you want a circumcision for your child then do it, if you don’t agree with it don’t do your child. There isn’t an agurment.”
Yeh, human rights are not important.
Hemant
April 5th, 2009
10:34 am
I am not circumced and didnot get my son to have it either.Its natural thing given by god and its not like hair or nails that you can cut it off.Acually its there to protect the tip of the penis and its sensivity.If its really good for health ,then females should have theirs too circumcised.Its just matter of hygien,just pull back your foreskin over the tip and wash it when you have bath.Majority of the people of this world ,Europe,Asia,South America,Africa,Ausraliaand maybe canada for North America arenot circumcised and have good health.
praise the Lord for all the creations he has created,and please only cut something that can grow back e.g trees,hair nail,e.t.c
Annette
April 6th, 2009
7:44 pm
I had both of my sons circumcised. I chose this option becuase their father was circumcised and thought it was cleaner and neater. However, if I new then what I know now, I would never have made the choice to circumcise. We do not amputate to treat infections, we use antibiotics. We do not amputate to reduce STD’s and HIV, we practice safe sex and/or monogomy. We do not amputate to keep our bodies clean, we learn to wash appropriately. If we were to remove the clitoral hood covering from the female clitoris at birth, the clitoris would become calloused and desensitized. Why would we remove the foreskin from the male penis when it has the same effect. There are over 20,000 nerve endings in the foreskin that are fully functional during sexual intercourse. Removing the foreskin will have an impact on future sexual function. If too much skin is removed, it can cause painful, tight erections. The male penis along with the foreskin is SUPPOSE to be a moving part, a sheath within a sheath which makes sexual intercourse more pleasant for both the male and female because it reduces friction and prevents dryness that occurs when a circumcised penis pulls the lubrication out of the vagina. Dryness along with friction can cause abrasions which are open doors for infection and viruses. When my son learned as a teenager what circumcision was and that it was done to him, he felt a private part of his body had been removed for no good reason without his consent. If a man chooses to be circumcised, then that is his choice with his own personal rights respected. It is also safer because the area is larger and adequate anesthesia and pain medications can be used. I am not even mentioning the research that shows how circumcision can impact breastfeeding and the newborn bonding between mother and son during the newborn period. I think if people new more about the function of the foreskin and that it does have a purpose, perhaps people would be able to make a more informed decision.
L13K
April 7th, 2009
4:35 pm
some of you people are really nuts.
Robert
April 7th, 2009
6:51 pm
Circumcision IS really nuts! .. to 80% of the people in the world.
Only not nuts to Jews, Americans, and Muslims–20%.
L13K
April 8th, 2009
9:44 am
Sorry, Bob, I was referring to you.
Robert
April 8th, 2009
10:03 am
“Sorry, Bob, I was referring to you.”
Who is Bob–I don’t see any person with that name here?
fran
April 8th, 2009
4:34 pm
I wasn’t circ’d as a child, and grew up with repeated infections. Pubic hairs were often trapped inside the foreskin, I caught the tip in my zipper all the time, and sprayed wildy whenever I forgot to pull it back first. Once I got circ’d in the Army, I was cleaner and trouble free. The health benefits may be limited, but are real. My sons are all circumcised and spared the irritations I grew up with.
Robert
April 8th, 2009
4:46 pm
“I wasn’t circ’d as a child, and grew up with repeated infections.”
And WHY did you get these repeated infection? They don’t seem to occur in intact countries?
“Pubic hairs were often trapped inside the foreskin”
Simple, trim your public hairs and keep the more sensitive foreskin
“I caught the tip in my zipper all the time, and sprayed wildy whenever I forgot to pull it back first.”
So, lacking manual dexterity is a justification for removing the most sensitive part of the penis?–take your time and wear underwear!
“Once I got circ’d in the Army, I was cleaner and trouble free. The health benefits may be limited, but are real. My sons are all circumcised and spared the irritations I grew up with.”
These you cited, are not MEDICAL benefits, just personal and subjective ones…ones others may not believe are worth the loss.
What about the downside–the loss of the majority of your penile nerves–did they play no part in your personal choice for a medically-unnecessary circumcision?
Nadia
April 17th, 2009
7:17 pm
Interesting article on the last page of the current Time issue…A dad struggles with the decision to circumcise his son or not. Anyone read it?
Solutions
April 20th, 2009
1:48 pm
I was circumcised at birth, so I had no way of comparing the sex benefits (with or without) as to whether there is lost feeling. I think we should hold off on circumcising boys until they reach the age of 14-15. Then, let them have sex with a partner. At that point they can then choose whether they want to get circumcised or not. If they choose the circumcision route, then they will know whether they made the right choice. Then when their sons come along, they will be better informed as to the “loss of feeling” argument.
Sirius
July 13th, 2009
11:31 pm
Safe, effective neonatal circumcision prevents vulvar cancer, which is actually more common than penile cancer. Removing the useless clitoral hood prevents the buildup of smegma, which smells atrocious. An uncircumcised vagina looks funny – ewww! There’s no medical study proving that uncircumcised women have more sexual sensation. It has been performed for thousands of years – almost exclusively by women – so if it were really harmful it wouldn’t have persisted. It’s a parental right, and everybody knows it’s healthier.
I’m sick of these labia-fetish women who think there’s something wrong with being circumcised. I’m not missing anything. I’m glad my parents had me cut, and I plan to give the same benefit to my daughter.
Dan
August 12th, 2009
5:07 am
Why are the same people posting over and over? Make your point, and then move on. It is tedious reading multiple posts from the same people. I think that it is the parents decision to make once they have the facts just as they have to decide about immunizations and many other things when rearing children.
Andinsmommy
January 11th, 2010
4:40 pm
After reading all the comments on here I have chosen to not have my son’s circ done. I will offer it to him when he is old enough to decide for himself. my bf isnt and when I brought up the subject, said it was up to me. I have read that its easier to clean if a circ is done, but when you bathe a baby shouldn’t you take extra care cleaning their parts anyway? so either way, you will spend some time make sure its clean. just my thought on it. i think its everyone’s personal preference but i can’t bear to put my child through pain that is unneeded. he can chose for himself. i wont dictate his life, at least in that matter.
Moonflower
March 2nd, 2010
1:08 pm
But everyone does it!! Must be like everyone else!! HA! It’s not good enough to say “oh, we wanted him to be like his daddy and everyone else, or else he’ll feel different.” Should we always raise our children to be like everyone else, masking their differences? Anyway, human genitalia by nature vary in color, shape, and size.
And to say one would circumcise one’s child so that he will not feel “different”…well, shouldn’t we teach acceptance of others’ differences rather than intolerance? Such a silly reason to do something… just to remain the same as everyone else.
This forum makes me want to kiss my boyfriend’s foreskin right now, and if I have a little boy, there is absolutely no way that I could slice up his precious little penis!!
zarathustra
March 3rd, 2010
5:05 am
Wow, some people here need to chill out and butt out of other people’s business.
Any children I have will be circ’d! As a man myself, I know how slobby hetero men are about their hygiene, especially when they’re kids . . . oh the horror of cleaning dirty, stenchy little hooded weenies!
I don’t care what those uncouth Europeans do. Why, when I was in Paris I saw so many girls with nasty armpit hair. Clearly they know nothing of civilized grooming. Sadly, this Eurosnob influence is infecting America.
Kat
April 5th, 2010
8:45 am
Call it what u like..circumcision /genital mutilation is a cruel way to welcome your child into the world. It doesnt protect against anything, thats bullshyt. the foreskin is there for protection, sexual function and sensation. People need to wake up and stop cutting babies.!!!!!!!
Kat
April 20th, 2010
4:49 pm
I do have a son and I never considered having him circumcised. Its a very unnatural thing to do to a baby. Its sad that so many healthy babies are subjected to such a horrendous thing…what a cruel way to welcome a baby to the world. I am angry at the people who allow this atrocity. Shame on the medical personell who are suppose to ‘First Do No Harm’ Shame on those who advocate for, solicit, perform, and profit from infant circumcision. No non consenting individual should have healthy genital tissue taken from their body.
Catherine
April 20th, 2010
5:00 pm
I have a son, he is not circumcised. Unlike a lot of people I don’t believe it is my right to cause my own child bodily harm. To me, circumcision is a form of sexual assault, as it removes a very sensitive and important part of a child’s sexual boy part. Never mind that foreskin protects an infants penis. I have never had any problems with my son being intact, never had to deal with any infections and honestly, it hasn’t retracted yet and likely won’t until he goes through puberty.
All in all, I don’t feel it’s my body so it’s not my right to choose. The claims that circumcision protects against std’s, hiv, or uti’s are totally false and if they were true, women would most likely have this done at birth as well.
Candice
April 20th, 2010
5:10 pm
My son is INTACT. If one day he wants to be circumcised, then it’s HIS choice to make. His body, his choice.
Faith M.
April 20th, 2010
5:19 pm
No I did not, nor will I ever circumcise any of my future sons.
It’s not my decision to make. His body, his choice. Simple as that.
I’m not benefiting anything from it and nether would he, so there’s no reason for me to decide to do it for him.
Judith
April 20th, 2010
5:28 pm
I was once one of those women who thought all men should be circumcised, and it took someone else to inform me of what the foreskin really is It is not “just a piece of skin” and the circumcision is not “a simple painless procedure” nor is it “just a snip and it’s done.” It’s removing nerves and protection to expose what should be an internal organ. That “little bit of skin” will someday grow and expand to account for a large portion of a man’s penis. Luckily, I learned all this before I had my son, so thankfully he remains intact. And it will be up to him should he decide later on to have his foreskin removed.
Cyn
April 20th, 2010
5:47 pm
NO.
I actually was thinking about it when expecting my firstborn … I figured (like many Americans do, unfortunately) that it was just something beneficial that had to be done. When I expressed to my husband (who is from Mexico, and intact) that I wasn’t looking forward to having our son circumcised, he looked at me like I’d grown a second head or something. LOL
That was the very beginning of my journey into knowledge about this awful, needless, harmful, and cruel procedure that is done far, far too often on baby boys. As the years have passed, my opposition to this practice has increased exponentially. I’ve discovered to my dismay how many people in America are totally misguided (if not downright ignorant) about this subject. It’s very sad, because it’s the children who suffer.
It’s not the parent’s ‘choice’, because it’s not their body. Cutting off completely healthy genital tissue for what amounts to nothing more than cosmetic surgery on a baby’s privates is just wrong. Not only that, but the numbers simply don’t support the continued practice. The risks and complications associated with cutting is more than TWICE whatever problem a child *might* have with their intact parts. And circumcision has been known to kill babies. Is cosmetic surgery on a child for no darn good reason *really* worth their life? I think most sane people would agree that it isn’t!
Incidentally, my son has never had a problem with his foreskin – I made sure it was NEVER forcibly retracted by his pediatricians, and when he reached puberty, it retracted without incident. Last year, I showed him a video of a screaming infant having his genital skin sliced open. Needless to say, he’s *very* glad I didn’t subject himself to something like that.
Reading some of the comments on here has given me hope that people are actually getting how wrong this is. It would be so awesome if everyone would eventually get it.
I’m all for a complete ban on infant circumcision without legitimate medical cause (which is very rare). It’s illegal to cut the genitals of female babies in America. Baby boys deserve the same protection – as it stands now, they are not provided equal protection under the law, which is unconstitutional
Cyn
April 20th, 2010
5:51 pm
@Andinsmommy – that’s awesome!
Also, I wanted to add that an intact penis takes no extra care to keep clean. The foreskin is fused to the head of the penis, offering a natural protection/barrier from germs, etc. No need to scrub or pull the skin back, just simple washing with water, and he’ll be fine.
Jen
April 20th, 2010
6:01 pm
I birthed my first sone 6 months ago and am happy to say he is intact. My husband is also intact but in addition to this I became educated on the prepuce organ and all it’s magical functions. We left our son intact not solely because it’s a traumatizing and painful procedure for an infant (that they remember) but also thinking ahead to his marriage relationship and for the sake of his wife. We wanted our son to have the choice to enjoy his NORMAL sexuality and also for wife to also experience her NORMAL sexuality as it was meant to function with the prepuce intact. Less than 6% of adult intact males end up *needing* a circumcision later in life…not a signifcant enough number for any WHO to recommend routine infant circumcision. As Penn and Teller say in regards to hygiene, Like a teenage boy needs an excuse to play with himself in the shower? :) Our son became sick and was hospitalized with a UTI at only 2 weeks old and many doctors/nurses/residents encouraged us to cut him..but doctors have no idea why babies that young get UTI’S and since the foreskin is ‘closed’ and ‘adhesed’ to the glans it is CERTAINLY not because they have a foreskin but if anything are protected b/c of it. We are confident our son will not ask why we didn’t havve 1/3 of his penis removed at birth but will thank us…unlike his counterparts when they are old enough to know the difference will ask why…it will be hard as a parent to not have an answer other than their personal preference for how their son’s penis ‘looks’ or medical myths…
Char
April 20th, 2010
6:08 pm
I would urge people to do their homework. Even if these studies regarding HIV are accurate, the truth of the matter is that females are ALWAYS at higher risk for contracting diseases of all kinds. We do not cut off parts of our girls, we teach them to respect themselves, limit sexual partners, and practice safe sex. The best way to prevent STD transmission is a condom. End of discussion. And for those of you who question the barbarity of the procedure I would ask you to watch one. The videos are readily available on youtube. “Botched” circ’s are more common than people know. Wake up and realize that it’s a business…they need consumers for their product. Use your heads, mommas. Do your homework.
Paulina
April 20th, 2010
6:38 pm
Yes circumcision is a big business, not only the doctors are charging you to cut your son’s penis, they are also selling the foreskin (they make insulin, cosmetics testing, etc) think about it people, it is a multi million dollar industry.
I had my first son cut against what my own instincts were saying, my husband is circumcised and he thought it was the right thing to do, not to mention when we asked the doctor his opinion he recommended it. Had I known what I know now I would have never let them do it, there is not one day in my life that I do not regret following my instincts that day. I am pregnant with #2 and he is a boy and he will remain intact.
Paulina
April 20th, 2010
6:39 pm
“That I do not regret, ‘not’ following my instincts” I meant to say.
Erin
April 20th, 2010
7:07 pm
I didn’t circumcise my sons, even though I was scared about it at first since I do not know any intact males. Now I am so glad I left them that way because it is easy to clean, only clean what I see and they will have their foreskins as adults. From there, they can do what they want with them… whether they cut it off or keep it, I will leave that up to them.
Cyn
April 20th, 2010
7:21 pm
@Erin – I was a bit scared at first too, especially since some people in my family were pressuring me against our decision. But I’m so glad I stood my ground. Instinctively, I knew that the vast majority of intact men worldwide who weren’t lining up the halls of doctor’s offices due to supposed foreskin problems had to mean there was something us Americans weren’t ‘getting’. It feels good to be vindicated!
Kuzunari
June 12th, 2010
3:20 am
What is to be said has been said already. Needless to say, as a human being and a woman, I would never circumcise a child. There is no medical basis, nor any further a religious one.
Please consider Betty’s comment it is taken from the Holy Bible at Galations 5:1-6. For those adamant Jews out there, I do respect your decision, however Jesus Christ himself was a Jew. And even secular history can point out that, yes, he existed. Jesus has fulfilled the Law, essentially, all Jews sould be Christians, but then the Bible did say that many handed him over to be crucified, that many Jews rejected Jesus. As Jews believe in the Bible to be inspired of God, we have to accept the fact. Circumcision, isn’t required by God anymore since his chosen people the Jews were broken up, and his promise was opened up to the Gentile nations.
For those who do not look at the matter spiritually, consider what this strong and educated woman has said after the course of the debate:
Nurse&Mother said this: “Sorry that you don’t agree with me Robert. I might be persuaded to your argument, but you are too damn abrasive. You actually make me want to defend my stance. And I really can see both sides. People like yourself irritate folks like me riding the fence. I think annoying folks actually kill their cause. That’s a shame. JD actually is better at persuading. You need to let HIM take up your cause.”
I laughed when I read this. It isn’t every day that my lips would curl in disdain. Can you imagine someone stubbornly sticking to their guns on a matter they now know to be ethically and morally wrong?
Circumcision has no medical basis, and what’s more to justify it by saying it’s legal and everyone has a right to their decision is flawed. Slavery and discrimination were legal at one point, but it was ethically wrong, Blacks, Indians and other races did not decide to become slaves, they were made into slaves, due to a perpetuated myth that thier races were inferior. Any person with a brain could think to themselves, would I want to be treated this way? Why is this legal?
Ever heard the saying do unto others as you would have them do unto you? As a woman I can’t imagine harming a baby in such a way, much less condone female circumcision, no matter what age the procedure would be performed at. Hypothetically, it would just be unnacceptable to me.
I hope that people can let go of their misguided beliefs. In the end, that foreskin belongs to the baby. When he grows up, he can decide to snip it himself. After all, Circumcision is a cosmetic procedure, nothing else.