Should Your Baby Be Circumcised?

If you are pregnant with a baby boy, or hope to have one some day, you will need to make the decision about whether or not to have him circumcised. Here are the reasons why people generally decide to have their baby boy circumcised:

1. Religious reasons
2. Cleanliness/Easier care
3. Want him to look "normal" (avoid that locker room teasing)
4. Perceived health benefits

Here is a list of the pros and cons associated with circumcision:

Pros

1.Cleanliness
It is true that boys who are circumcised can clean their penises more easily than those who are not. As a parent, you must teach your son how to pull back the foreskin of his penis and wash himself.

2. Normalcy
The majority of baby boys born in the United States are circumcised. Up until a few decades ago, the circumcision of male babies was taken for granted. However, in recent years, an increasing number of parents are choosing not to have the procedure performed on their baby boys. However, if your husband is circumcised and that is what you consider normal, it may be hard for you to consider not having your baby circumcised.

3. Health Benefits
In all honesty, health benefits associated with circumcision are few and feeble, but they are there. Benefits include: Lower risk of penile cancer, lower risk of receiving an STD, and avoidance of penile problems associated with the foreskin. The one strong medical benefit would be the reduced risk of contracting a urinary tract infection, as boys who are not circumcised are ten times more likely to get one.

Cons

1. Pain
Being circumcised is painful. Even if your baby receives a medication for pain, he will still have some discomfort during the healing process. However, the pain will be relatively short-lived and your baby will heal completely.

2. Surgical Risks
Though risks to your baby associated with circumcision are extremely small, they do exist. Excessive bleeding and infection may occur, or the foreskin may be cut too long or too short.

3. Permanence
There is no cosmetic process for replacing or reconstructing a removed foreskin. The decision is permanent.

4. Expense
Some insurance companies no longer cover circumcision.

5. Sexual Pleasure
While the idea of your baby boy having sex is probably far from your mind, you should know that sexual pleasure may be reduced for a man who is circumcised because the foreskin contains many sensitive nerves that enhance sex.

It should be noted that the American Academy of Pediatrics does not recommend the routine circumcision of baby boys because the health benefits are not great enough to warrant such a position. When it comes down to it, if you do not have a religious obligation to circumcise your baby boy, there is no medical reason to do it either. In this case, the decision should be made based on your preference after you have considered all the facts.