There is alot of controversy surounding circumcision. Parents must decide should we? It's a personal decision that is based largely on customs. For instance, in some cultures, circumcision is not even considered while in others it is a must especially when it is a religiously based decision.
Whatever you decide, always talk to your doctor first about the risks associated with circumcision. This is sometimes best done before you give birth as many hospitals will peform the operation shortly after birth. Also, find out what your insurance will cover. There are some insurances that consider this an elective procedure and will not pay for it or will make you wait a period of time before letting you have this done.
If you do opt for circumcision, it's best to perform the operation within the first 2 to 3 weeks after birth, as it can become more complicated as a child gets older. But the procedure is usually performed during the first 10 days (often within the first 48 hours), either in the hospital or, for some religious ritual circumcisions, at home. If you decide to have your son circumcised at the hospital, your pediatrician, family doctor, or obstetrician will perform the procedure before you bring your baby home. The doctor should prepare you by telling you about the procedure he or she will use and the possible risks.
In some instances, doctors may decide to delay the procedure or forgo it altogether. Premature babies or those who have special medical concerns may not be circumcised until they're ready to leave the hospital. And babies born with physical abnormalities of the penis that need to be corrected surgically often aren't circumcised at all because the foreskin may eventually be used as part of a reconstructive operation.
The Pros and Cons
On the plus side, studies indicate that circumcised infants are less likely to contract a urinary tract infection (UTI) in the first year of life. About one out of every 1,000 circumcised boys has a UTI in the first year, whereas the rate is one in 100 (at most) for uncircumcised infants.
It's also easier to keep a circumcised penis clean, although uncircumcised boys can learn how to clean beneath the foreskin once the foreskin becomes retractable (usually some time before age 5). However, some uncircumcised boys can end up with infected foreskins as the result of poor hygiene. Parents must ask their Pediatrians the best way to care for an uncircumcised baby to prevent infections. These can be excruciatingly painful when they are older and harder to keep clean and to treat.
Although circumcision appears to have some medical benefits, it also carries potential risks - as does any surgical procedure. These risks are small, but you should be aware of both the possible advantages and the problems that can be associated with the procedure before you make your decision. Complications of newborn circumcision are uncommon, occurring in between 0.2% to 3% of cases. Of these, the most frequent are minor bleeding and local infection, both of which can be easily treated by your child's doctor.
Perhaps one of the hardest parts of the decision to circumcise is accepting that the procedure can be painful. In the past, it wasn't commonplace to provide pain relief for babies being circumcised, but because studies have indicated that it benefits the infant to receive anesthesia, most doctors will now provide it. Also, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends the use of pain relief measures for circumcision. Even up until recently, though, anesthesia hasn't been universally used, so it's important to ask your doctor ahead of time what, if any, pain relief will be utilized with your son. Many feel that it is best done within the first few weeks of life because the older a boy gets, the more painful it will become to have this procedure.
Two primary forms of local anesthetic are used to make the operation less painful for your baby:
a topical cream (a cream put on the penis) that requires at least 20 to 40 minutes to take its full effect
an injectable anesthetic that requires less time to take effect and may provide a slightly longer period of anesthesia
Once the procedure is done, it is very simple to keep clean and to heal. place a gauze on the tip of the penis with a small amount of petroleum jelly to keep the gauze from sticking because that will become painful when changing. Bath him with warm water and gentle soap. Change your baby often so there is less risk of infection from urine or feces. Watch for signs of swelling, redness or fever. (these risks are minimal if cared for properly) If you see any of these symptoms, take him to your pediatrician immediately!!
Whatever you do, weigh your options carefully and remember your decision is something your child will carry for the rest of HIS life.
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5 comments:
his body, his decision. it isn't medically necessary, and it shouldn't be a parent's right to decide whether or not an individual gets to keep or lose over 20,000 nerve endings found in the foreskin.
if we removed our daughter's breast buds, she would be protected from breast cancer, if we removed teeth, we'd be protected from cavities, but the truth is, thats not a good enough reason to cut it off.
I cannot argue that point. That was a very good opinion and I believe that alot of people share that same opinion. I want to see more parents take a long hard look at the physical decisions they make for their childre. Same could be said for getting infant to toddler girls earings. Not medically necassary but alot of parents are doing this and does cause alot of pain. I did get my first daughters ears pierced when she was a baby and I felt horrible at the pain I caused her even though she has no memory of it. I decided NOT to do it with my next daughter and let her decide when she was older whether she wanted them or not.
glad to hear your opinion simply sandy.
although i think comparing it to an ear piercing downplays it a little bit.
a circumcision actually removes tissue.. estimated at around 50 percent of the total skin on the entire penis. studies have shown that foreskin is actually more sensitive than anywhere else on the entire penis.
an ear piercing removes no tissue from a non-sexual body part, and it can be removed at any time, and heals back to its original form.
so although i agree, neither is okay, i think its much worse to circumcise a baby boy than to pierce a baby girls ears.
I am in absolute agreeance with you but some could say...what does it matter? If it's done when they are newborn, they do not remember it anyway. I would just like people to be informed when they make a decision and not do it because it's the mainstream thing to do or a religious belief or because their parents did it so they should do it. Just ask questions.
well i agree that it is important for parents to do research before blindly deciding to go ahead with any procedure.
but to those that say "what does it matter"... its something that stays with a person their whole life. a man can never get back a foreskin once its been removed. those are nerve endings lost forever.
we don't consciously remember the things that happen to us as children, but babies do feel pain, and things that happen to you when you are young CAN affect you as you get older. i don't consciously remember learning how to talk, or to walk, but those are certainly things that affect me today. in the same way, we would not advocate just doing anything to a child when they are young, and i think thats because deep down, we know that they are still human, and what we do matters to them. why hurt them if you don't have to.
especially when studies start coming out that show the foreskin has some of the most sensitive skin on the entire penis. seems like most people would want to keep that if they had the choice, so why not at least allow people to make that decision for themselves.
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