Circumcision: A Closer Look

Posting Date: 03/01/1999

HISTORY

Circumcision was initially introduced into this country by reformers who wanted to prevent masturbation, but according to recent studies, if this was the objective, the reformers have failed.

PREVENT MASTURBATION?

Research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that men who are circumcised are more likely to masturbate and to prefer certain sexual practices including oral sex and anal sex.

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It is possible that the decrease in penile sensation that accompanies circumcision could be playing a role in the seeking of different sexual practices that offer more stimulation.

ETHICS

Ethically, the AAP walks a fine line. While they admit that parents and physicians have an ethical duty to act in a child's best interest and well being, they fall far short of recommending that we have an ethical duty to leave a child's genitals intact.

It seems clear to everybody that female circumcision is a gross and obvious violation of that right, but somehow male circumcision is not seen as extreme an intrusion. The AAP does say that, "parents should not be coerced by medical professionals to make this choice."

PAIN

The pediatricians finally admit the obvious: that there is considerable evidence that newborns experience extreme pain and significant stress during a circumcision which, unfortunately, is performed most of the time without any analgesia whatsoever.

Why it's taken so long for pediatricians to admit this obvious fact is a clear condemnation of previous circumcision policy. When I was in medical school, doctors tried to teach me that babies don't feel any pain.

SCOPE OF IMPACT

Although it's hard to get numbers, the best that we have tell us that 65 percent of newborns are circumcised in the United States with higher rates in the east. It's estimated there are 1.2 million newborn males circumcised in the U.S. every year at a cost of between $150 to 270 million.