The Pros and Cons of Infant Circumcision
In both rural and urban areas, nearly half of the mothers circumcise their infants within 7 days of
birth. In both areas, the procedures are painful, invasive, and require pain medications. Also,
newborns experience an increase in heart rate and decreased oxygen levels. They also have
skin that turns a reddish color. In addition, some babies experience increased crying and
gagging, which may lead to withdrawal. Below are the pros, and cons of infant circumcision.
One argument in favor of circumcision is that it is an ethical practice. It’s a ritual, and it’s often
practiced for religious reasons. For example, the Muslim religion considers circumcision a
sunnah or religious rite. In addition, circumcision helps initiate male children into the community,
and a circumcised boy or girl will be entitled to all of the rites and privileges of membership in the
Muslim community.
A pilot program was launched in Tanzania within less than two years. Although the pilot project
results showed high safety levels, it did not guarantee widespread acceptance. A study of seven
health facilities in Iringa found that only 7% had their male infants circumcised at home.
However, the study revealed a significant difference between rural and urban dwellers in terms
care seeking behavior. EIMC services may need to be scaled up by targeted investments in
fathers, care-seeking behavior, and other factors.
One reason to perform infant circumcision in males is to prevent UTIs. Although a study showed
that circumcision can prevent UTIs from occurring, there is little evidence to support this practice.
Although the evidence supports routine circumcision in newborns, the strength of the
recommendation is not strong. However, the results are substantial. A meta-analysis involving
eleven observational studies showed that UTIs were reduced by 90% after routine circumcision.
The pooled prevalence rate of UTI in febrile infants older than 2 months was 7%, 2.4%, and 20%
for uncircumcised males.
Although infant circumcision had a lower risk of HIV infection than one percent, the results were
mixed. Researchers from Weiss et al. The researchers from Weiss and colleagues reviewed 49
studies from around world, covering almost 200,000 individuals. The results from three studies
showed that circumcised people had a lower risk than intact men of contracting HIV.
Furthermore, in seven countries, circumcised men had a lower rate of skin loss, as compared to
uncircumcised men.
While there is no definitive evidence that infant circumcision prevents HIV, research has shown
that it can reduce the risk for other STIs later in life. Recent Ugandan research found that
circumcision significantly reduced the risk for HSV-2 infection by 30%. However, this protective
effect was not observed for newborns, and the study was not conducted in countries with a
higher prevalence of the virus. For example, Uganda has a 34% prevalence of HSV-2 infection
in men aged 15 to 49, while the U.S. has a mere 8%.
There are many complications to this procedure. Infection is the most common. Infection and
bleeding are the most common. Adhesions are skin bands that stick to the tip or penis. Steroid
cream treatment may need to be used for adhesions. If left untreated, adhesions can result in a
thickened, bridge-like skin band or patch. Inflammation, scarring, and difficulty urinating can also
be caused by a damaged urethra.
The EIMC Program was implemented in RCH areas. EIMC counseling sessions were conducted
by RCH-area health care providers who provide routine care for children. Counseling sessions
used standardized information from job aids. Counseling sessions were held during antenatal,
postpartum, maternity, and well-baby visits. EIMCs took places in most health care facilities, but
a few took place at homes. 16.4% of the circumcised male infants in the pilot project were born
to HIV-infected moms.
There are many benefits to circumcision. However, there are also significant risks. Certain
health conditions, such as fluid and respiratory disorders, put infants at greater risk of
complications. This procedure is more likely than to cause infant death. It is important to
remember that the procedure can be very traumatic for the baby. As with any surgery, the risks
for infants who are most vulnerable are higher. The Canadian Paediatric Society warns that
babies who are circumcised should avoid any unnecessary risks associated with circumcision.
In both rural and urban areas, nearly half of the mothers circumcise their infants within 7 days of birth. In both areas, the procedures are painful, invasive, and require pain medications. Also, newborns experience an increase in heart rate and decreased oxygen levels. They also have skin that turns a reddish color. In addition, some…