If you’ve just learned that you’re having a baby boy, whether or not to circumcise your son is one of the first decisions you’ll have to make.

Circumcision is a common practice in the United States. During the procedure, the foreskin, which covers the end of the penis, is surgically cut away. This procedure is usually performed in a hospital by a doctor within 10 days of your baby’s birth. Many people of Jewish and Muslim faiths choose to circumcise their sons as part of a religious ritual and custom outside of the hospital.

About 50-60% of male babies in the United States are circumcised. That number has declined over the last several decades from about 80%, and it continues to drop. The practice is also common in the Middle East and South Korea but rare in Latin America, Europe, and most Asian countries.

The circumcision debate

The American Academy of Pediatrics’ view on circumcision is that the benefits outweigh the risks, but that the benefits are not significant enough to recommend universal newborn circumcision.

Without a clear-cut recommendation, it’s up to parents to discuss their options with a trusted medical professional like OB/GYN Dr. Victor H. Cantero of the Comprehensive Women’s Center. Parents usually make the circumcision decision based on a variety of factors, including religious and cultural beliefs, health benefits and risks, and personal and aesthetic considerations.   

The circumcision procedure

If you do choose to circumcise your son, here’s what you can expect:

Your doctor first washes the penis and foreskin before he injects anesthesia or applies an anesthetic cream to reduce pain. He then places a special clamp to the penis and cuts away the foreskin. A healing ointment such as Vaseline jelly is applied to the penis before it’s wrapped in gauze for protection.

The entire procedure takes less than 10 minutes. Complete healing takes about 10 days.

Circumcision should only be performed on healthy babies. If your son is born prematurely or with a congenital condition, you should postpone circumcision until he’s in stable condition.

Health benefits of circumcision

Removing the foreskin helps prevent bacteria from getting trapped there, reducing the risk of developing UTIs. Other health benefits include:

  • Reduced risk of penile cancer (although still rare in both circumcised and uncircumcised boys)
  • Reduced risk of contracting sexually transmitted infections such as HIV
  • Potentially reduces the risk of cervical cancer in female partners of circumcised men
  • Easier to clean the penis
  • Prevention of foreskin infections

Risks of circumcision

As with any surgical procedure, there are risks, but they are rare. Risks of circumcision include bleeding and infection. Some parents are concerned that removing the foreskin reduces the sensitivity of the tip of the penis and, therefore, diminishes sexual pleasure later in life. There is no evidence to support this concern.

Other circumcision considerations

Other things that parents often consider when making the circumcision decision is appearance. In previous decades, when many more boys were circumcised than uncircumcised, some parents were concerned that their sons would be singled out or ostracized if they looked different from their peers. With the circumcision rate approaching 50%, that is no longer a concern.

Some families prefer their sons to looks like the other men in their family, which can also influence the parents’ decision.

Call or make an appointment online with Dr. Cantero at Comprehensive Women’s Center in Miramar, Florida, to discuss the benefits and risks of circumcision.