To Cut Or Not To Cut, The Circumcision Question: Mom Talk

Circumcision is an explosive topic for a lot of people.

The decision to remove the foreskin from a baby boy’s penis may involve religious beliefs, hygiene and health factors.

In biblical times, routine circumcision derived from a pact between God and Abraham.

“Then God said to Abraham, ‘As for you, you must keep my covenant, you and your descendants after you for the generations to come. This is my covenant with you and your descendants after you, the covenant you are to keep: Every male among you shall be circumcised’.” Genesis 17: 9-10.

In modern America, circumcision is widely practiced among most men just because boys don’t want to look different in the locker room. When our son was born, having him undergo surgery on his penis was a big decision for me. It was an automatic yes for my husband, because of the locker room thing.

However, having lived outside the U.S., I realized that much of the world does not get clipped just because. Having unyielding trust in my doctor, we turned to him first for information.

Dr. Andrew A. Roth is an assistant professor in the department of obstetrics and gynecology at Rush-Presbyterian St. Luke’s Medical Center. Dr. Roth told us the number one reason why he recommends circumcision is the statistical reduction in sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV.

When I asked Dr. Roth for details to help inform others, he gave me an official reprint from UpToDate, an information service for medical subscribers. The topic of circumcision in baby boys dated January 2011 was written by Dr. Laurence S. Baskin.

The report says that there are several benefits to the procedure. Uncircumcised boys are at a greater risk of urinary tract infections. Cancer is another risk. Although cancer of the penis is rare, the uncircumcised are at higher risk, the report said. “Cervical cancer is more common in women whose male sexual partners are not circumcised,” according to Baskin.

In terms of sexually transmitted diseases, circumcision may reduce the risk, but does not eliminate it. Many men who have had the procedure have also had an STD. Lifestyle factors, especially the number of sexual partners, are far more important variables, Baskin explained.

“Studies suggest that circumcision helps decrease the risk of acquiring some sexually transmitted diseases, such as trichomonas, human papillomavirus, and HIV,” Baskin said. “Circumcision may lower the risk of acquiring a STD, but it does not eliminate it.”

What surprised me the most was the hygiene issue.

Everyone I talk to about the subject points to hygiene as the reason. However, the fact of the matter is that the medical issue has not been well studied, according to Baskin. There is no evidence of it.

The procedure is fairly routine. There are hardly ever any complications—about two to five in 1,000 cases, Baskin claims. These are typically minor problems, such as an infection.

Another concern is sexual pleasure. The skin that is removed has specialized sensory tissue, potentially making the penis less sensitive. However, I think your basic man-on-the-street doesn’t have a complaint.

Being a girl, I am not a good judge as to the gravity of being hazed in the locker room.

I’m not inclined to make my kid go through permanently altering surgery on a very important body part just because the other boys are doing it. For me, the medical facts were the clincher.

Despite my initial objections, I succumbed to the two people I trusted most in life: my husband and Dr. Roth. More importantly, I trusted them both with the life and future of my son.

During the procedure, the baby was fine. I was the one who cried.