What is circumcision?
Circumcision involves removing the foreskin, which shields the head of the penis. In the United States, 60 percent of baby boys are circumcised, usually in the first few days or weeks after birth. Some parents choose circumcision because it's an important and ancient ritual, while others choose it because they believe it has health advantages.
Should we circumcise our son?
Circumcision is a personal decision that you should make based on your own beliefs and after talking with your doctor. Some medical evidence suggests that circumcision leads to improved health; in the short- or long-term, though, the issue is by no means clear-cut. Talk to your spouse, your pediatrician, your family and friends, and, if you're religious, the leader of your congregation to discuss whether circumcision is the right choice for you.
Between 1989 and February 1999, the American Academy of Pediatrics' policy had been that the potential medical benefits of circumcision outweighed most of the risks. But new research — and never-ending debate — prompted the academy to update its circumcision recommendation in March 1999. The AAP now says that the choice is best left up to parents, who should make an informed decision based on possible health benefits and risks, as well as cultural, religious, and ethnic traditions. And, for the first time, the organization says that if you do decide to circumcise, your son should be given pain relief.
What are the pros and cons?
Circumcision does make it easier to keep the penis clean, though washing the area under the foreskin thoroughly achieves the same result. In a 1989 study by the AAP, uncircumcised boys were found to be more likely to develop urinary tract infections, sometimes serious ones (although the risk of a UTI for any male, circumcised or no, is at most 1 percent). Other arguments in favor of circumcision include concerns that an uncircumcised child will be seen as different from his friends or will feel different from his father who may be circumcised. Arguments against circumcision include the fact that the procedure is not medically necessary. Some parents believe circumcision is a form of mutilation that's painful and emotionally harmful to a child.
If we do decide to do it, what else should we know?
If you decide to have your son circumcised, know that complications are possible — yet rare — whether performed by a mohel or a doctor (be sure to get references). Don't subject preemies, jaundiced babies, or other at-risk newborns to the procedure. It takes only a few minutes, so the pain is brief — but real, which is why the AAP recommends giving babies something to relieve it. The penis should be gauzed. After the procedure, expect some bleeding. When diapering, use extra folds to cushion the penis, and apply a fresh gauze pad and petroleum jelly or Neosporin.
Expect the penis tip to be reddish or to secrete a yellowy liquid for a few days if you have your baby circumcised. Indications of infection: swelling or crusty, yellow sores containing cloudy liquid. If you suspect infection or if your baby has problems urinating — a trickling stream or expressions of discomfort — talk to your doctor.
When should a circumcision be done?
Make it early, if at all. And talk the issue through with your doctor and spouse before the baby arrives — it's an emotionally charged issue and not to be confronted when you're fatigued from giving birth. Rather than having it done in the delivery room, wait 24 hours or a few days. But delaying a circumcision until your baby is older than a few months can be traumatizing.
When should we talk to our pediatrician about circumcision?
Because of the myriad issues — religious, social, medical — it's wise to talk this one through with your physician early. You might want to bring it up when you first choose your pediatrician during your seventh or eighth month of pregnancy. If you elect to circumcise, ask your doctor about the use of anesthetic and the timing.
SO, MY QUESTION TO YOU ALL IS HOW DO U FEEL ABOUT CIRCUMCISION?
