The Medical Pros and Cons of Circumcision

Pros of circumcision:

Reduced risk of balanoposthitis (inflammation of the skin of the penis caused by either trauma or poor hygiene) and possibly of sexually transmitted diseases.

Reduced risk of penile cancer. A recent study found that only 2 out of 89 men who developed invasive penile cancer over a 43-year period had been circumcised. (Note: Penile cancer is extremely rare, only occurring in 1 in 100,000 men.)

Prevents paraphimosis (an emergency situation that occurs if the foreskin gets stuck when it's first retracted). (Note: Many cases of balanoposthitis and paraphimosis are believed to be caused by well-meaning caregivers who try to forcibly pull the foreskin back. If the foreskin is generally left alone, the combination of spontaneous erections and masturbation are generally enough to loosen the foreskin.)

Greater ease of hygiene.

Newborn circumcision is less risky than circumcision later in life.

Cons of circumcision:

Most newborns recover from the trauma of circumcision fairly quickly. In fact, within 24 hours of the surgery, their behavior is virtually indistinguishable from that of their uncircumcised counterparts. However, a recent study indicates that there may be some later repercussions depending on whether they were circumcised with or without anesthetic: Researchers found that boys who were circumcised without anesthetic experienced more pain and fear during their routine childhood immunizations than other babies.

Complications occur in approximately one in 476 circumcisions. Bleeding is the most common complication, followed by minor infections, but both are almost always easily treated. In rare cases, severe penile damage can occur. Note: Circumcision is not recommended for infants who are sick, premature, or who have any type of penile abnormality.

In most cases, circumcision is not medically indicated—which explains why the procedure may not be covered by insurance.

Note: While circumcision has long been touted as an effective way of lowering the risk of urinary tract infections, the latest research indicates that the chances of an uncircumcised baby developing such an infection are low. A recent study found that uncircumcised boys were only 3.7 times as likely to develop a urinary tract infection as circumcised boys. (Earlier studies had indicated that the risk was 39 times.)

Note: Removing the foreskin is a permanent choice that your son may later regret. An intact foreskin may enhance sexual pleasure.