It's a decision that every mother and father have to to make for their new baby boy—to circumcise or not circumcise? For some couples, reasons to circumcise stem from religious or cultural backgrounds, while other couples continue with the practice based on tradition or statements such as “if I look this way, my son is going to look the same.” Needless to say, out of the many reasons given to circumcise, proponents against circumcision have frequently attacked the “ease for personal hygiene and reduced risk for STD infections” statement above other any reason.
For those against circumcision in the United States, arguments have criticized the discrepancy between the high rates of the procedure, while the country still remains among the top in STD infection rates. Furthermore, if these statistics continue to hold true, should parents continue to circumcise or could other healthcare interventions be taken to help reduce the susceptibility of STD’s.
Speaking from personal experience, I had felt that my sex education course during elementary school could have been way more comprehensive. Could offering better education protocols to teach students about sexuality, puberty, pregnancy, and contraceptives lead to a decline in STD cases across America? I believe so.
As for the hygiene dilemma, it should be noted that sanitation methods and products have readily improved over the last several years in the United States. Compared to other less fortunate countries, the availability of Clorox wipes, hand soaps, detergents, and other items have given American individuals greater access to live healthier lifestyles.
What do the professionals think? According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, a policy statement stated that “systematic evaluation of peer-reviewed literature indicates that preventative health benefits of elective circumcision of male newborns outweigh the risks of the procedure,” but concluded that the decision for having a baby boy undergo the procedure should be made by the parents after careful consideration of all medical benefits and risks along with “any significant ethical and moral principles”.
But in the end, regardless of what decision is made, I believe that “do no harm” should be priority number one when making medical decisions, especially for those who do no yet have a voice in the matter.
Weber, L. (2018, August 28). America Can Blame Its Sky-High STD Rates On A Crumbling Health System. HuffPost. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/highest-std-rates-sexually-transmitted-diseases_n_5b85856de4b0162f471cf805
United States - Improved Sanitation Facilities (% Of Population With Access) - 1990-2015 Data | 2020 Forecast. (n.d.). Retrieved November 21, 2020, from https://tradingeconomics.com/united-states/improved-sanitation-facilities-percent-of-population-with-access-wb-data.html
Circumcision, T. F. O. (2012). Circumcision Policy Statement. Pediatrics, 130(3), 585–586. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2012-1989
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