Circumcision Rates Down In The Western States

Posting Date: 07/24/2001

Here is a story on circumcision rates in the United States. These are new figures coming out from the Center of Disease Control. It?s not easy to keep exact numbers, but they are astounding; it?s so funny what?s going on.

Circumcision rates have dropped from 62 percent in 1980 in the West, to 37 percent in 1999. Those of you weighing this question realize that your circumcisioned child will be in the minority in the locker room of the near future, at least in the Western U.S.

Now there is a whole different picture in the Midwest where the rates have gone up from 76 percent in 1980 to 80 percent in 1999. No one can figure this out. The regional information is most dramatic. I find it absolutely fascinating that this is so regional. The overall national rate for circumcising boys is 65 percent.

We are, of course, the only country, the last country on the face of the earth that does this routinely to little boys for supposed medical reasons. Israel and the Muslim countries would be the exceptions, for religious reasons.

You know the American Academy of Pediatrics says there aren?t enough medical benefits to warrant circumcision. So if there are no medical benefits and it?s not warranted, then why in some parts of this country are most of the baby boys made to go through this?

The gap between Black and White babies has completely closed. It was always different in the past. We always thought it was economic; for White babies, it was thought to be the modern thing to do with your babies and then Black families couldn?t afford it, but now it?s about the same.

So times they are a changing. It might behoove you to change with them.

Source: HealthScoutNews, July 19, 2001

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