What is circumcision?

Circumcision is a surgical operation that removes some skin or tissue from the genitals of a boy or girl. All forms of female circumcision are illegal. This article refers only to the circumcision of boys.

At birth, most boys have a sleeve of skin covering the end of the penis. This protective sleeve is called the foreskin. During a circumcision, this sleeve of skin is cut away, exposing the glans (head) of the penis.

Circumcision is sometimes done a few days after birth. It can be done later, including in adolescence or adulthood.

Reasons for not having your son circumcised

Circumcision comes with infrequent medical and health risks, even when an experienced doctor does the operation:

• Short-term problems include bleeding after the operation. Sometimes boys need to go to hospital to manage bleeding.
• Long-term problems include issues with urination and concerns about the appearance of the penis, particularly if too much or too little skin has been removed, or if more skin has been removed from one side than the other.
• In very rare cases, these problems can lead to damage to the urethra, gangrene, loss of the penis, or even death.

Doctors, parents and others say that there are physical and ethical reasons for not having your son circumcised:

• The foreskin is a natural part of a boy’s body. It’s rich in nerve endings and has a big role in sexual sensation, play and functioning as boys grow older.
• The foreskin protects the opening of the urethra, which is very delicate early in life.
• Boys should be able to make informed decisions about their own bodies. They can do this only when they’re older.
• It doesn’t make sense for our society to make all forms of female circumcision illegal but still allow male circumcision.

Reasons for having your son circumcised

Circumcision before puberty has a couple of health and medical benefits:

• It reduces the risk that a baby boy will get a urinary tract infection (UTIs).
• It can prevent foreskin problems, including foreskin inflammation and foreskins that are too tight in puberty.

For older boys and men, circumcision has some benefits:

• It helps to protect men against HIV and AIDS and possibly some other sexually transmitted infections.
• It helps to protect men against the rare condition of cancer of the penis.

Some parents might also choose circumcision for religious or cultural reasons – for example, Jewish or Islamic customs.

The circumcision debate is passionate. There are some extreme viewpoints on both sides. But you can trust evidence published by official medical organisations like the American Academy of Pediatrics or The Australian Parenting Website. It is legitimate for parents to take into account cultural, religious, and ethnic traditions and it’s sensible to treat other opinions with caution.

Circumcision: making an informed choice

When weighing up the risks and benefits of circumcision for your son, it’s important to consider all the evidence and information. You could ask your paediatrician to talk you through the risks and benefits.

Whatever you decide about circumcision, your son is likely to have a normal childhood and adult life, without significant concerns about his penis.

Planning for circumcision

If you decide to have your son circumcised, it’s important to make sure the operation is done safely and by an experienced and authorized professional.

Try to ensure that your son receives enough pain relief during and after the procedure. Local anaesthetic might be appropriate for boys under six months, but it’s recommended that boys over six months have either general anaesthetic or spinal anaesthetic.

Check that you have good access to the doctor for follow-up after the surgery.

Source: https://raisingchildren.net.au/guides/a-z-health-reference/circumcision