If you just delivered a baby boy
in the United States, 80% chances are that your son was circumcised.
How did circumcision evolve from
a strictly Jewish and Muslim ritual to a standard medical procedure performed
on a vast majority of American males, irrespective of religion? This practice
is not so common in India, nor is it routinely practiced in any other non-Muslim
or non-Jewish countries of the world.
What is circumcision?
In some countries and cultures, the
foreskin of a male baby is removed by an operation known as circumcision.
No anesthesia is used. For thousands of years the only people who were
circumcised were Jews and Muslims, until the mid-1800s, when circumcision
started being regularly practiced in the United States.
If mothers could see their sons being
circumcised, it is almost certain none of them would opt for it. The operation
is violent, done without anesthesia, and unspeakably painful to the infant.
The screams, shaking, and frantic attempt by the newborn to escape this
unexpected and unbearable pain can be horrible to watch.
And millions of children born in
America routinely undergo this procedure. Most parents don't really
know why. Why does this happen?
Decreased sexual
sensitivity
Within minutes, three feet of veins,
arteries and capillaries, 240 feet of nerves and more than 20,000 nerve
endings are destroyed; so are all the muscles, glands, epithelial tissue
and sexual sensitivity associated with the foreskin. Finally, what nature
intended as an internal organ is now externalized and your child has a
circumcised penis - sleek, streamlined and modern.
It is cleaner?
One of the main arguments in favour
of circumcision is that it is more hygienic, as it makes the penis easier
to take care of and clean. While it may be slightly easier to clean, common
sense and regular cleaning practices makes an uncircumcised penis just
as easy to clean. In addition, the foreskin proms a protective covering,
and if this covering is removed, the penis is exposed to abrasion and dirt,
making it more unclean.
Veneral diseases
It is believed that venereal diseases
are less easily contracted by the circumcised male. However, statistics
show that the US has both the highest percentage of sexually active circumcised
males in the Western world and the highest rates of sexually transmitted
diseases, including AIDS. The loss of the protective foreskin leaves the
urinary tract vulnerable to invasion by bacterial and viral pathogens.
Those in favour of circumcision feel
that cancer of the penis, which to be sure is extremely rare, is even less
frequent in the circumcised. Similarly, a tight foreskin occasionally becomes
tighter as the child grows older and may necessitate circumcision in adulthood.
At this time the operation is very painful and requires several days for
convalescence. But then again, the appendix serves no purpose either, but
would we want to remove it at birth to prevent appendicitis later on?
Should an unnecessary operation be
undertaken? European and Indian males, for example, are not circumcised
at birth, and are no more vulnerable to veneral disease than their American
counterparts. They go on to lead normal, healthy lives.
Violence
As far as violence in society goes,
America statistically has the highest crime rate. Is it possible that the
brutality of the early circumcision could be one of many factors affecting
men who grow up and eventually give this violence back to society? Does
circumcision at birth kill certain sensitive cells in the male child born
in the United States? Are circumcised males colder and a little more insensitive
than their uncircumcised counterparts?
Name:
rajni.m
Country: United Kingdom
please see http://www.allvoice s.com/contribu ted-news/46252 03-male-circum cision-in-deve loping-countries
I found it was informative and unbiased.
thanks for reading.
Name:
rajni.m
Country: United Kingdom
please see http://www.allvoice s.com/contribu ted-news/46252 03-male-circum cision-in-deve loping-countries
I found it was informative and unbiased.
thanks for reading.
Name:
rajni.m
Country: United Kingdom
http://www.allv oices.com/cont ributed-news/4 625203-male-ci rcumcision-in- developing-countries
Risks Bleeding remains the commonest complication encountered during and after circumcision. Ritual circumcision is particularly popular and widespread geographically. An important aspect of sacrifice is the shedding of blood, and circumcision is a notoriously bloody operation, and even in modern surgical conditions hemorrhage can be a problem. A rate of up to 2% is reported by the hospital at Teria region, predominantly occupied by the Muslim population, sometimes requiring blood transfusion. Even there are cases of death in Nepal due to excess bleeding during circumcision. Circumcision should not be performed on infants with certain deformities of the penis that may require a portion of the foreskin for repair. The most common condition for surgery using the foreskin is hypospadias, a congenital deformity of the penis where the urinary tract opening is not at the tip of the glans. Also, infants with a large hydrocele, or hernia, may suffer complications through circumcision. Premature infants and infants with serious infections are also poor candidates to be circumcised, as are infants with hemophilia, other bleeding disorders, or whose mothers had taken anticoagulant drugs (Medicine that prevents or retards the clotting of blood). In older boys or men, circumcision is a minor procedure and can be performed on virtually anyone without a serious illness or unusual deformity. Infections are indicated by fever and signs of inflammation, and are treatable with antibiotics. Many medical practitioners regard circumcision as a relatively minor procedure and, as such, it is likely to be delegated to a junior surgeon. It has been observed that the complication rate is directly related to operator inexperience. Delegation to a junior colleague should occur only after the surgeon in training is fully instructed in the operative procedure. Heightened awareness of the scope and potential for complications will of itself result in a reduced complication rate. Newly circumcised adults usually go through some weeks of intense discomfort as the glans is constantly exposed to rubbing on clothing, until it develops a thicker keratin layer and becomes less sensitive.
Circumcision is very painful; therefore doctors performing neonatal circumcision now give some form of anaesthesia; however, most of the circumcision in Muslim community is performed at home, and are carried out without anaesthesia. Morbidity and Mortality Rates Complications as a result of circumcision are usually minor if the physician is experienced and makes sure the instruments that are used are in good working order. Severe penile injuries are rare, but they are serious, and include penile amputation (partial or total), laceration, hemorrhage, and damage to the urinary tract. Other serious complications such as meningitis, penile necrosis, necrotizing faciitis, and sepsis can occur. Some of these, like meningitis and sepsis, can even cause death. According to the research, few years back Rahamadtulla, an inhabitant of Indrapur VDC lost his elder son due to complication after circumcision. Likewise, his younger son too was hospitalized due to excess bleeding after the operation was performed. The research shows that Nepali Muslims perform circumcision at home by an experienced “Hakim” (a traditional Muslim doctor with out academic degree). According to Abdullah Khan, a Muslim boy, performing circumcision at hospital is against their religion, therefore they should perform this religious rite at home. Though, Hakims are experienced but the procedure may go fatal in some cases due to lack of sterilized equipments and proper medical treatment. Similarly, hidden complications may occur. Benefits A recent study conducted by Awaaz Nepal found that circumcised men are at least 60% less likely to become infected from STDs as compared to uncircumcised men. These promising results must be confirmed in ongoing studies in Kenya and Uganda before male circumcision can be promoted as a specific HIV prevention tool. If proven effective, male circumcision may help increase available proven options for HIV prevention, but should not cause the abandonment of existing effective strategies such as correct and consistent condom use, behavioural change and voluntary testing and counselling. Male circumcision does not eliminate the risk of HIV for men and the effects of male circumcision on women’s risk of HIV are not known. It also remains to be demonstrated whether and to what degree circumcision could reduce HIV transmission in cultures where it is not currently practiced. (UNAIDS/WHO, 2005).Epidemiological data suggests that male circumcision provides some degree of protection against STD and HIV infection, especially in developing countries with predominantly heterosexual transmission of HIV . Public health programs have not promoted male circumcision as a means of risk reduction, for a number of reasons. These are worth mentioning. 1) In less-developed countries like Nepal , circumcision is often performed under in non-medical settings, under conditions conducive to sepsis. If men in societies that traditionally do not circumcise men were to opt for circumcision, this might increase the chances of health problems resulting from dangerous surgical practices by poorly trained or untrained practitioners. 2) Men--and perhaps their partners--might develop a false sense of security if they become circumcised in order to avoid HIV/AIDS. They may as a result engage in riskier behavior. 3) There is insufficient evidence that becoming circumcised as adults would protect men from STDs including HIV infection. In fact, the evidence suggests that the earlier the age of circumcision, the greater degree of protection against STDs and HIV. Now, perhaps as a measure of the desperation of circumcision's supporters to find a reason to continue, it is suggested as a preventive against STDs, HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases (on the basis, according to some US doctors, that the keratinised layer on the glans acted as a form of condom!). Evidence regarding the relationship of circumcision to sexually transmitted diseases is conflicting. Early series indicated a higher risk of gonococcal and nonspecific urethritis in uncircumcised men, whereas one recent study shows no difference in the incidence of gonorrhoea and a higher incidence of nonspecific urethritis in circumcised men. Although published reports suggest that chancroid, syphilis, human papillomavirus, and herpes simplex virus type 2 infections are more frequent in uncircumcised men, methodologic problems render these reports inconclusive. Aftercare After circumcision, the wound should be washed daily. An antibiotic ointment or petroleum jelly may be applied to the site. If there is an incision, a wound dressing will be present and should be changed each time the diaper is changed. Sometimes a plastic ring is used instead of a bandage. The ring will usually fall off in five to eight days. The penis will heal in seven to 10 days. Infants who undergo circumcision may be fussy for some hours afterward, so parents should be prepared for crying, feeding problems, and sleep problems. Generally, these go away within a day. In older boys, the penis may be painful, but this will go away gradually. A topical anesthetic ointment or spray may be used to relieve this temporary discomfort. There may also be a bruise on the penis, which typically disappears with no particular attention. Circumcision is not an operation to be undertaken lightly and it should be strictly performed at hospital or by trained medical practitioner. Because of the danger of administering general anesthesia to babies under 6 months of age, and the pain and risks of tissue damage of administering local anaesthetics to the penis, circumcisions in this age group are still mostly performed without any anaesthesia to this day. Parents are not usually told that their sons will go through this agony. There is no doubt that circumcisions are painful for the baby. Indeed, circumcision has become a model for the analysis of pain and stress responses in the newborn. Not only does the unanesthetized newborn cry vigorously, tremble, and, in some cases, become mildly cyanotic because of prolonged crying, but other stress-related physiological reactions have also been demonstrated, including dramatic changes in heart and respiratory rates and in transcutaneous oxygen and plasma cortisol levels.
Name:
James
Country: united kingdom
interesting point of view. unfortunately, it appears biased to me for the following reason.
1. the mention of highest number of sexually transmitted diseases in america and its relation to circumcision is unrealistic and absolutely unfounded. americans practise unsafe illegal, extramarital/pre-marriage sex. this is the primary reason for these diseases. even if a male who isnt circumcised has sex, his additional tissue over the penis moves out of the way hence is no means of protection from sexually transmitted diseases. infact, if by chance, the bacteria hadnt managed to enter the penis during the sexual intercourse, there are more chances of them remaining within the additional unwanted tissue, increasing the chances of being infected later on.
2. there is highest crime in america because of their life style where every household owns a gun and no moral values exist in the society. if one needs to consider the crime statistics then a muslim country should be an ideal choice as it would have a 100% cicumcised population. no! i dont mean the few so called terrorists but main stream population. saudi arabia would be interesting choice, where theft, rape and crime is the minimum throughout the world!
3. an uncircumcised penis is unlikely to be cleaned even by water, if not soap, hence within 24hrs(average time between two showers) the chances of infection by the dormantly held urine particles within the tissue can be extremely dangerous and the main cause of the cancer.
4. appendix is an extremely painful operation. it involves cost and risk. it is not as unsafe as the most unwanted part of the human body, the extra tissue covering the penis.it is also not exposed and prone to external infection. by the way, circumcision can be perfomed using local anesthesia to avoid the pain!
Name:
bash
Country: united kingdom
obviously things in the usa have not gone forward, in the uk a local aneasthetic is usedand no pain is felt, i work in a circumcision clinic and so far i have never seen a baby scream, it is about time that the usa started to use the same procedure.
Name:
indianphantom
Country: india
the author seems to be quite prejudice on this issue which, i feel, is very unprofessional of him...
such biased and exaggerated comments should not be entertained by the publishers. this site has a lot of popularity, and article like this as an 'expert advice' might give this website a 'biased' look.... think about it.... people look up to you for a professional advice.... please give them that.....
thanks
Name:
W
Country: usa
"male circumcision provides a degree of protection against acquiring hiv infection, equivalent to what a vaccine of high efficacy would have achieved. male circumcision may provide an important way of reducing the spread of hiv infection in sub-saharan africa."
auvert b. et al., 2005, "randomized, controlled intervention trial of male circumcision for reduction of hiv infection risk: the anrs 1265 trial." plos medicine vol. 2, no. 11.
Name:
W
Country: usa
local anesthetic is sometimes used in the u.s., although probably not as often as in britain.
there is no evidence to support the assertion that circumcision has any effect on brain "patterns," structure, or function.
Name:
pantulun@yahoo.com
Country: netherlands
it is barbaric to have a child cicumsised. i have been invited ot a cermony for circumcision in eritrea and it was really inhuman do it on the innocent baby. i myself am not circumcised but dont have any problem with cleanliness. all what is required is pull the skin when u take bath or pis and clean it with water or tissue. if it is required in the later stages of life and is medical that has problem with intercourse it is good to be done on advise.
Name:
Suva
Country: india
whatever is natural is natural nad has its own reasoning. why should people try to fiddle with nature ? our experience shows whenever we tried to fiddle with nature, the result was not good! moreover, it may the question of beleive and on which one cannot comment but the fact is that the infant suffers - let the boy have his own choise! that would more praqctical and moderate.
Name:
Kritika
Country: usa
when my son was born here in the usa the doctor asked us if we wanted him circumcised. we said yes only because we were ignorant and had no idea what circumcision really does. i would advise future parents to read up on it especially if they are delivering in the usa. the doctor told us that he would only remove a little skin to expose the pee hole. when baby came back his head was completly exposed. i felt so bad. what is done is done. next baby no way.
Name:
Renassault
Country: usa
you obviously don't understand how cancer works. cancer can't happen from urine infections. it's a genetic mutations. please look stuff up before you post.
circumcision may however have advantages in not contracting certain diseases, though i heard recently that such claims were refuted.
Name:
jay amalthia_x@yahoo.com
Country: usa
oh please, people don't commit as many crimes in saudi arabis because they chop off peoples hands and other parts of their bodies. who wants to go to a saudi arabian prison?
Name:
skin deep
Country: brazil
in my country they do not circumcise because it is to painfull for the baby. i think thats a good enough reason for not circumcising new born babies.
Name:
Paula
Country: usa
i was quite surprised at the one-sided and exaggerated nature of the author's comment. i previously thought that this site only supported unbiased and well-researched information. there are many claims made in the article that are blatently untrue. there are likely people reading the article and believing every exaggerated claim simply because they are not well-educated on this topic and trust the authors of this site. how unfortunate. it would have been better if the author would have either stated that his claims are his/her opinion only or simply provided unbiased factual data so people can make informed decisions based on their own judgement and values. my son is not circumcised but my decision was made based on my personal choice and facts; not scare tactics and mis-information.
Name:
Editor Indiaparenting
Country: India
the article does seem biased. thanks for your feedback. we will look into it and rectify it.
Name:
os
Country: India
very surprising article.. looks like this site is only meant for hindus :-). the way you make fun of a practice very common in more than 1/2 of worlds population (christians also do it, not just muslims and jews), its hard to believe that you are not biased.
if you are trying to prove that doctors in usa are ignorant or too religios, get ur facts right. any medical practitionar in us would not act on the basis of his/her religious inclinations and this practice is opted for, only after medical facts are proven.
if pain is the only reason, you should stop cutting the baby from umb-cord as well, its going to be painful, isn't it ?
Name:
Sunjay
Country: usa
i was born in the usa in the mid 60's and am circumcised. no one else in my family is just me. apparently when i was born the doctor performed the circ right in the delivery room and did not even ask my parents. i can tell you that going back to india as a child always generated a lot of discussion on the topic. my mom was constantly asked by all her family why she wanted her son to look like a muslim. i must admit growing up in the states i did not feel out of place in the locker room in school as all the boys had been circumcised. my wife is indian and was surprised to see my circumcised status. she is ok with it now. we never had any of our sons who were born in usa circd.
Name:
CHABROL
Country: South Africa
male circmcison is agros male perversion genital rape of male serves no purpose ever leave male bodies alone u group of freaks
Name:
John
Country: U.S.A.
this isn't performed on the vast majority of american males. it's about 60%, which is a slight majority. it's less in some places, such as the west coast where it's the inverse. it's not standard medical procedure either. it's elective plastic surgery that requires informed consent, consisting of at least a form listing the risks.
Name:
Sundeep
Country: India
the us is a nation of anti-male, pro-female bigots. while they genitally mutilate men with silly excuses and reasons to justify barbaric acts, they have laws to protect women. if it is ok for the us to genitally mutilate boys, it is perfectly ok for indians to beat their wives, burn women, etc and it is also ok for the people in africa and middle east to cut off female clitorises in the name of custom.
the us is hated all over the world due to their double standards and their hatred for men, blacks and non-christians. if they suffer losses in war let them suffer.
Name:
Shilpa
Country: India
i am not advocating this practice but it seems to me that the author of this article is simply looking to create controversy. most of the article is written in such a manner that he is abusing other religions. the biggest problem is that none of his claims are backed up by any medical facts.
Name:
Cherry
Country: India
i dont understand how this site has allowed such foolish article to be published..
the author of this article does not know the abcd of circumcision and has just written the cow-dung he/she had in this brain..
just because this practice is followed by certain religion the author seems to be biased..
india has the highest no. of female infanticide , write something about that with correct stattistics and data..
Name:
Asha
Country: India
this absolutely wrong to do, what ever god has given should be accepted, it is not only about voilence but also going against the nature
if a mother can see this happening to the son then she has tough heart i must say
Name:
someone
Country: Canada
there is something that draws a line between what we think about something and what we are obliged to do if we are following a religion. some matters are decided on the commandments and not on your will or conclusion. circumcision is one of them. jewish and muslims follow this practice not because some philosophers had discussed this issue some thousands years ago, but because this is what they are obligated to do. if someone not in favor this is welcome to continue. but one thing has become very clear i.e. indians can't restrain their hatred against muslims!
