About Circumcision

When considering circumcision for your baby, you need to be aware of the possible risks and benefits.You should also be aware that the rights of parents to give consent to a circumcision for their child are disputed. Some men resent that they were circumcised as children. They resent being deprived of the ability to make the decision for themselves as adults.

:Recent research suggests that circumcision may bring medical benefits such as: a 10 times lower risk of a baby getting a urinary tract infection (UTI) in his first year of life (remembering that only one per cent of babies are at risk of a UTI, so 1,000 circumcisions are needed to prevent one UTI) no risk of infants and children getting infections under the foreskin easier genital hygiene much lower risk of getting cancer of the penis (although this is a very rare condition and good genital hygiene also seems to reduce the risk. More than 10,000 circumcisions are needed to prevent one case of penile cancer) a possibly lower risk of men getting sexually transmissible infections (STIs) than men who are not circumcised (although these studies have not been scientifically

There are also good reasons why parents choose not to have their sons circumcised, such as: wanting to avoid surgery that is not essential and that carries some risk of complications, even though these are small concern that removing the foreskin may reduce the sensitivity of the tip of the penis and reduce sexual pleasure for both partners later in life wanting to avoid the pain of circumcision, which can occur at the time of the operation and for some time after.

Some older boys and men need to have a circumcision due to medical problems such as: scarring of the foreskin that stops it from retracting (phimosis) recurring inflammation or infections of the penis (balanitis or lichen sclerosis) a foreskin that is too tight and causes pain or spraying when urinating recurrent urinary tract infections.

If you are considering circumcision for yourself or your son, you need to discuss a range of issues with your doctor or surgeon including: medical history any possible bad reactions or side effects from the anaesthetic. Circumcision may be performed in the first few days after birth under local anaesthetic or after six months of age under general anaesthetic. Parents and their doctor should make sure that the person performing the circumcision is experienced and competent, uses appropriate anaesthetic and has the skills to deal with any potential complications

There are different methods of circumcision. Either local or general anaesthesia should always be used. The plastibell procedure involves numbing the area with local anaesthetic creams or injection. A bell-shaped instrument is inserted under the foreskin to separate it from the penis. The foreskin is then removed using scissors or a scalpel. Alternatively, circumcision can be performed as a formal surgical procedure, using dissolving sutures or tissue glue.

Be guided by your doctor, but general suggestions include: giving your child lots of cuddles and comfort applying a little petroleum jelly or ointment on a light gauze dressing to the wound applying fresh petroleum jelly and a new gauze dressing at each nappy change. This reduces the risk of urine irritating the wound a daily bath to keep the area as clean as possible.