No Surprise Here: Study Says No Real Benefit From Circumcision

Posting Date: 01/11/2000

A new report on circumcision says while the health risks of the surgery are minor, the vast number of boys gain no benefit from the procedure.

The gist of this study from the University of Washington School of Medicine is that while there?s little harm from circumcision, there?s really nothing to be gained from it either. In looking at data, researchers found there was a complication in one out of every 476 circumcisions.

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You know my opinion - circumcision is a traumatic event and snipping and cutting part of a baby's genitals is like doing major plastic surgery on him.

This new study only looked at complications from circumcision during the baby?s hospital stay. Often, there are infections or other problems that occur after the infant goes home.

The American Academy of Pediatrics last year finally came out against doing circumcision as a common procedure.

I?ve been fighting against circumcision for years. Since several studies ? including this one ? don?t show any benefit from the surgery, why do we still do it?