Circumcision is the surgical removal of the foreskin from the male sex organs. If circumcision is to be carried out, it is advised that it be done when the baby is a day or two old. The later it is done, the worse it becomes for the health of the baby.

The issue of circumcision is not one upon which people easily agree and whatever one eventually chooses to do; it is more to do with the personal preferences rather than due to the available facts because the facts do not seem to support one side of circumcision in any favorable way over the other, therefore; when people do it, some only do it for religious or for cultural reasons.

The researches made around circumcision point to the benefit of circumcision when it comes to the prevention of some sexually transmitted diseases including HIV and aids. Urinary tract infections in babies aged between birth and twelve months are reduced in circumcised children, so is penile cancer. Some researches even go on to indicate a reduction in cervical cancer development for women whose sexual partners underwent circumcision but this is said to be inconclusive.

The risks of circumcision include continuous bleeding of the circumcised area and infection. In more serious though rare situations, faulty surgical processes might lead to the foreskin getting reattached to the glands and in others the cosmetic appearance of the penis might be permanently damaged. Some penises have even been known to face downwards. Although these cases are rare, some people believe it is not worth getting circumcised even for the benefits raised considering the low percentages of the prevalence of some of the diseases even in the uncircumcised.

The question that arises is whether or not the benefits of circumcision are worth the risks that might arise from circumcision. The fact that all the medical benefits indicated have not been able to bring a law of circumcision enforcement and at the same time the risks associated with the operation have not led to the imposing of a ban on circumcision might lead to the conclusion that none of the facts for or against outweigh the other.

It is advised therefore, that before one makes a decision; careful consideration has to be made. If at all you decide have your child circumcised, make sure the operation is done by qualified personnel to minimize risks.

Author: Tania Canesi