Men's Health > Circumcision > Circumcision Procedure

Circumcision Procedure

For generations of newborn boys this has been a widely accepted and performed surgical procedure. Today there are concerns from parents and doctors alike about the benefits of the circumcision procedure.

Of course, the circumcision procedure involves the removal of the foreskin of the penis and is usually done soon after a baby is born. It is most frequently done in the hospital and in the Jewish faith, at home by a trained rabbi.

Doctors, who support circumcision, recognize this decision as a difficult one for the parents. They strongly support the medical and health benefits of this procedure which includes a decrease in the risk of developing urinary tracts infections, prevention of contracting sexually transmitted disease in adulthood, and easier to maintain good hygiene. Today doctors prescribe local anesthetics to block the pain and discomfort when performing the procedure on infants as well as adult circumcision patients.

Foreskin Facts

• 85% of the worlds male population is intact.
• The US is the only Country that routinely circumcises their infant males.
• 10,000 + specialized erotogenic nerve endings are permanently severed and lost during the circumcision procedure.
• Males loose 40 % of sensitivity.
• 209 baby boys die each year from circumcision procedures and related complications.

Circumcision Doctor

Dr. Thomas Wiswell, a professor of pediatrics at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, once opposed circumcision procedures, but changed his mind in the early 1980s after conducting studies on infant boys. “It’s a difficult decision for parents, and it’s a decision that’s going to affect their son for life,” he says. However, he adds that he has “not a shred of doubt” about the medical case for circumcision.

The doctors who are against circumcision claim this procedure is medically unnecessary and only used as a social rite of passage. Their concerns revolve around the pain the infant experiences along with the suggestion that a circumcised penis will have less health problems. Dr. George Denniston founded Doctors Opposing Circumcision, a national organization, says he has members in every state and across the world. He strongly believes circumcision is an unnecessary procedure and has nothing to do with good health.

Circumcision Styles

Circumcision is uncommon in Asia, South America, Central America and most of Europe. Historically, newborn males underwent routine circumcision procedures for religious and social reasons, however the risks of psychological trauma and attendant surgical complications have led to closer scrutiny of the existing practice of routine neonatal circumcision.

In 1975, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommended against routine elective circumcision of newborns because of a lack of an absolute medical indication. However, literature reports that uncircumcised young boys are predisposed to lower urinary tract infections (UTIs) due to harboring bacteria under the foreskin. This increased risk of UTI appears to affect boys younger than 5 years.

Currently, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that newborn circumcisions remain optional. If parents are contemplating elective circumcision, obtain proper informed consent after fully discussing the potential risks and benefits of the circumcision procedure.

Paul Ellis