Circumcision is a procedure that involves removing the foreskin from the head of the penis. Approximately 60% of American boys are circumcised. In most other areas of the world, circumcision is nowhere near as popular as it is in North America. Numbers seem to be slowly decreasing as parents seem to be choosing this procedure less and less.

Why Do Parents Choose Circumcision?

This procedure is chosen by parents for various reasons, including:

* Health
* Religion
* Social

Some boys are circumcised for health reasons. Perhaps there is a medical requirement for the boy to have this procedure done. There is a condition known as “phimosis”, in which the foreskin cannot be fully retracted from the head of the penis. In this case, circumcision will probably be required.

This procedure may be required as part of a person’s religion. Jewish boys, for example, are circumcised in religious ceremonies.

Some parents choose to circumcise their sons for social reasons. If the father has been circumcised, parents may feel that they would like their sons to “match” their dads. If their boys play sports, perhaps parents do not want their sons to be ridiculed in the change rooms if the norm is to be circumcised.

How is Circumcision Performed?

Circumcision is usually performed within the first month of the baby’s life. The best time to do it is when the baby is between 7 and 14 days old. If circumcision is done earlier than this, the baby would have a greater risk of not having proper blood clotting.

After the 7th day of the baby’s life, blood clotting works best. On the other hand, if the baby is over 2 months old, the procedure becomes more complicated and riskier.

The procedure should only take about 5 minutes. A local anesthetic can be administered to your baby to lessen the pain from the procedure. This is usually a needle that is inserted at the base of the penis. After the anesthetic has taken affect (which should only take about 20 minutes or so), the circumcision is performed. A device is used that clamps the foreskin, and then cuts it off.

Care of Penis After Circumcision

After the procedure is performed, the head of the penis will need to be lathered in petroleum jelly (such as Vaseline) and covered with clean strips of gauze for at least 2 days. This will have to be changed with every diaper change to protect the penis from urine, feces and friction from the diaper.

It is normal for the head of the penis to be quite red for a few days after the procedure. It may also be normal to see yellowy liquid for a few days, but it’s important to distinguish between this and pus related to infection.

If it becomes swollen or crusty, or secretes cloudy liquid, this could be a sign of an infection that will require medical intervention. Usually antibiotics will be required to get rid of the infection.

Benefits of Circumcision

It is important to know that the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) says the benefits of circumcision are not significant enough to recommend it. They say that circumcision is not medically necessary. Having said that, there are certain advantages to being circumcised, such as:

* Slightly less chance of having urinary tract infections
* Less chance of developing penile cancer as adult men
* Possible reduction in risk of getting sexually transmitted diseases
* Easier to keep clean

Dangers of Circumcision

Certain risks can be associated with this procedure, such as:

* Bleeding
* Infection
* Irritation of the skin

It is important to put much thought into this prior to making this decision.