To circumcise or not?
Liam is circumcised.
(Jack will be circumcised, too.)
It was done in the hospital, 2 days after he was born, after a penile dorsal nerve block was administered.
This was not a decision we took lightly. It was not a decision that we made without research and discussion. It was not a decision based on societal norms or religion and it was not a decision that was a mistake. I have never regretted our decision.
Liam is circumcised.
(Jack will be circumcised, too.)
It was done in the hospital, 2 days after he was born, after a penile dorsal nerve block was administered.
This was not a decision we took lightly. It was not a decision that we made without research and discussion. It was not a decision based on societal norms or religion and it was not a decision that was a mistake. I have never regretted our decision.
I respect the fact that there are many parents who are opting not to have this procedure done. There are just as many reasons not to do it, as there are to do it-- it's not without risks (no surgery is). I think that parents who make a decision regarding circumcision with no knowledge of the procedure, its benefits, its pain management options, its risks and its potential complications are likely to regret their decision, whatever they choose. We should always do our best to make informed decisions when it comes to our kids.
I do not, however, believe that the decision to circumcise an infant is an uneducated or thoughtless one, as I've had people imply when this topic has come up in conversation.
There are several reasons we believe that circumcision was the right choice for us. I don't list them here to try to convince you that it's the right decision for your family-- rather, to show the thought process that was behind our decision.
Protection against Penile & Prostate Cancer
In a 2000 study done by a large health maintenance organization, surveys showed that 97.7% of the men who were diagnosed with Invasive Penile Cancer were not circumcised. Penile cancer is rare, mostly affects older men & is not a big concern for us-- But this added protection is a bonus to a procedure we were planning on doing anyway. Intact men were shown to be twice as likely to be diagnosed with Prostate Cancer.
Prevention of Infant Urinary Tract Infections
Research has shown that intact infants are 12 times more likely to develop UTIs than circumcised infants. While UTIs are certainly not life threatening (in normal cases), anyone who has had one knows how incredibly painful they can be.
But THE reason-- the one that would convince us to circumcise our boys, even if none of the other reasons existed, is this:
Studies have demonstrated that circumcision can reduce the risk of HIV/STD infection as much as 60%.
When I state this statistic, some people point out the fact that the majority of these studies have been done in Africa. Lack of clean water and sex education have been listed as reasons why these statistics may not be valid. But, clean water does not prevent the spread of HIV/STDs (otherwise America would be free of these diseases), and as many condoms as I may throw at my boys one day, I cannot guarantee that they will protect themselves every time they choose to be sexually active. Yes, it's true that their overall risk is higher in areas where more of the population already has the disease-- but HIV is far from absent in the US. Therefore, I do not believe that it matters where these studies were performed-- they still present valid correlations.
Additionally, it's worth mentioning that there have been studies done in the US, but mostly among homosexual men-- I do not discredit these studies as I cannot guarantee my boys will be heterosexual (and frankly, do not care).
As for the risk of contracting and spreading HPV, not only does circumcision potentially protect my boys, but it also could help prevent cervical cancer (caused by HPV) in their heterosexual partners. As a woman who has experienced multiple abnormal pap smears with precancerous cells (and had them treated via cryotherapy), I would love to see the rate of HPV transmission reduced. In addition to HIV & HPV, it is also suggested that circumcision reduces the risk of acquiring and transmitting other STDs such as HSV (Herpes) and Chlamydia (which can lead to infertility).
Are there additional ways to reduce STD transmission other than circumcision? Sure. We will teach our boys about safe sex and the importance of using condoms. Gardasil (the HPV vaccine) has recently been approved for use in boys-- our boys will get the series of shots. And as clinical trials continue, hopefully an HIV vaccine will be available long before my boys are sexually active... and maybe even a cure.
I don't look down on any parent who chooses not to circumcise their son. Handing your precious and perfect baby boy over to a doctor days after birth and letting her remove a piece of his body is not easy. I can understand a parent who looks at the facts above and makes the decision that they are not good enough reasons.
For us, they are.
Protection against Penile & Prostate Cancer
In a 2000 study done by a large health maintenance organization, surveys showed that 97.7% of the men who were diagnosed with Invasive Penile Cancer were not circumcised. Penile cancer is rare, mostly affects older men & is not a big concern for us-- But this added protection is a bonus to a procedure we were planning on doing anyway. Intact men were shown to be twice as likely to be diagnosed with Prostate Cancer.
Prevention of Infant Urinary Tract Infections
Research has shown that intact infants are 12 times more likely to develop UTIs than circumcised infants. While UTIs are certainly not life threatening (in normal cases), anyone who has had one knows how incredibly painful they can be.
But THE reason-- the one that would convince us to circumcise our boys, even if none of the other reasons existed, is this:
Studies have demonstrated that circumcision can reduce the risk of HIV/STD infection as much as 60%.
When I state this statistic, some people point out the fact that the majority of these studies have been done in Africa. Lack of clean water and sex education have been listed as reasons why these statistics may not be valid. But, clean water does not prevent the spread of HIV/STDs (otherwise America would be free of these diseases), and as many condoms as I may throw at my boys one day, I cannot guarantee that they will protect themselves every time they choose to be sexually active. Yes, it's true that their overall risk is higher in areas where more of the population already has the disease-- but HIV is far from absent in the US. Therefore, I do not believe that it matters where these studies were performed-- they still present valid correlations.
Additionally, it's worth mentioning that there have been studies done in the US, but mostly among homosexual men-- I do not discredit these studies as I cannot guarantee my boys will be heterosexual (and frankly, do not care).
As for the risk of contracting and spreading HPV, not only does circumcision potentially protect my boys, but it also could help prevent cervical cancer (caused by HPV) in their heterosexual partners. As a woman who has experienced multiple abnormal pap smears with precancerous cells (and had them treated via cryotherapy), I would love to see the rate of HPV transmission reduced. In addition to HIV & HPV, it is also suggested that circumcision reduces the risk of acquiring and transmitting other STDs such as HSV (Herpes) and Chlamydia (which can lead to infertility).
Are there additional ways to reduce STD transmission other than circumcision? Sure. We will teach our boys about safe sex and the importance of using condoms. Gardasil (the HPV vaccine) has recently been approved for use in boys-- our boys will get the series of shots. And as clinical trials continue, hopefully an HIV vaccine will be available long before my boys are sexually active... and maybe even a cure.
I don't look down on any parent who chooses not to circumcise their son. Handing your precious and perfect baby boy over to a doctor days after birth and letting her remove a piece of his body is not easy. I can understand a parent who looks at the facts above and makes the decision that they are not good enough reasons.
For us, they are.
Several people that I know who have decided to leave their son intact have asked the question, "Who am I to make that decision for him about his body?"
My answer is always the same, "Who am I? I'm his parent. I'm going to be making decisions for him for a long time & I'll do what I believe is best for him."
My answer is always the same, "Who am I? I'm his parent. I'm going to be making decisions for him for a long time & I'll do what I believe is best for him."
We all do what we believe is best for our kids-- whether that's choosing to circumcise or not, vaccinate or not, co-sleep or not, breastfeed or not. We make the best decisions we can with the information we have.
And I know we made the right decision for us.
Feel free to tell me about your decision and why it was right for you.
