by Juliemarie

Created on: February 25, 2009

Circumcising your son is a good choice if it is your choice. The most important thing to remember today is that is strictly choice. Often a very difficult one to make. Let's cover the reasons given for both for and against and you will see each side boils down to only one remaining issue for and one against and you can be the decider of it's significance, with circumcision having a more substantial reason for it.

Anti Circumcision: Pain! Well a topical ointment is commonly given now to reduce the mostly minimal pain caused by the procedure on a baby, also even pain on an older child is minimal. My son was almost a year who went in for a groin muscle issue and had his circumcision at that time. This is important for two reasons first my son's pain then was very minimal then but of course there was the risk of general anesthesia which I believe would not have been worth it for circumcision alone. The other is that he could not have circumcision at birth because of his low birth weight. This is the down side of baby circumcision a higher percentage then you may realize (about 11%) will have to have a do over in late toddler years because in that 11% the opening will not have been made large enough or closes some as they grow this is called "meatal stenosis". In either case baby or toddler pain is minimal, my son went through a meatal stenosis at 4 even though he was not circumcised until he was an older baby, this was very successful and even at this more active age he complained little and was normally active by that same evening.

Sexual intesity! Well I can not give a personal experience on this as a female, this though seems to be the point that sticks. Polls show that the intensity and drive of a non-circumsized male is greater. I am not sure how they determine this as one circumcized and one not can not experience the other, except in the rare cases of adult male surgeries I suppose. It is disputed by most doctors and of course every circumcised male in the world!

PRO Circumcision: Cleanliness! Well many mothers say if you start young enough it becomes habit to clean just as any other body part.

Religion! In the New Testament Christ said he came (and considered equal) the circumcised and uncircumcised. That clears the Christians, with other religions and even Christianity (as we can be pretty sure Jesus was circumcised as a Hebrew boy) - if you feel led Spiritually to do so then of course you should.

Higher Rate of STDs! I say this with out trying to be judgemental but you can not get an STD from being uncircumcised you get it from having sex with someone who has the disease. This to me seems a lifestyle risk, one that statistically though is greater to be contracted and spread if uncircumcised.

Cancer! This is the issue that sticks most with pro circumcision it is true that the percentage of penile cancer is higher in males uncircumsized than those that have been. Being fair though penile cancer is rare in either case.

So in considering circumcision having a boy circumcised seems best when, the two issues that remain are sexual pleasure and cancer prevention. The added bonus of course is easier cleaning and a reduction in the transmission of STDs for those who would have been exposed to them either way. Keeping in mind that the ideal time is with a baby of ideal birth weight and size for accuracy.

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