Circumcision Indecision: Making the best choice for your son

Cara Natterson MD
Robert Sears MD
Scott Cohen MD FAAP

on Tue Oct 20 2009, 11:18pm UTC | 6 comments

Join our Parents Ask experts, Scott Cohen, MD, Cara Natterson, MD and Bob Sears, MD as they weigh the pros and cons of circumcising a baby boy and offer new parents insight and information to help make the sometimes difficult decision to circumcise or not.

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Also - visit our sister site Momversation to hear what these moms have to say re: "to snip or not to snip!"

And read a very thoughtful blog post from mother-to-be, Chloe Jo Berman as she deals with the clash of her religious upbringing and personal beliefs on the topic.

Related Topics: Baby

Tags: being circumcised, circumcise, circumcise baby, circumcise or not, circumcised, circumcised or uncircumcised, circumcised penis, circumcised penises, circumcised vs. uncircumcised, circumcision, circumcisions, get circumcised, getting circumcised, non circumcised

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6 Comments

Commented by Clay Nichols - dadlabs.com, Mon Oct 19, 2009 7:56pm UTC

Here's the DadLabs take (a bit more irreverent, but not quite NSFW).

Commented by rookieheather, Tue Oct 20, 2009 6:03pm UTC

Thought-provoking and helpful video on making the touch decision to circumcise or not.

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Commented by Tally da Restorer, Tue Oct 20, 2009 6:17pm UTC

I was circumcised at birth. Unfortunately, my parents made the choice for me. I would prefer to have remained intact, that is, with all the working parts of my sex organ. Unfortunately, the circumcision culture in the US did not allow me to decide what happens to MY body.

The Internet is a great educational tool and many young men are learning what happened to them when they were circumcised. Many question why their parents choose to circumcise them. Parents should be aware that there are many young men who are very angry at their parents for having them circumcised as an infant. See http://www.RestoringForeskin.org and http://www.foreskin-restoration.net/forum to read stories of men who wish they had never been circumcised and are upset with their parents about it.

Unlike many men who were circumcised years ago and who are in denial about the ill-affects of circumcision, the youth of today are much better informed and are more willing to question why they were circumcised when there was so little, if any, true benefit to the surgery. They are questioning why their parents consented to the surgery when there was all sorts of information available about how circumcision is primarily a cosmetic surgery performed for the benefit of the parents.

Commented by Christian Sanz, Wed Oct 21, 2009 7:41pm UTC

This should be a dad decision, I agree.

Commented by Aimee Giese, Fri Oct 30, 2009 11:04pm UTC

We decided not to circumcise, but were very much on the fence. In the end, the decision was made because our son had been born 2 months early, and they circ at the END of a hospital stay - and we couldn't bear ANY MORE! But really - I feel like this is a personal decision and respect whichever way a family goes.

Commented by daphne Brogdon, Thu Nov 12, 2009 7:36am UTC

The advice that the dad should make the decision is one of the dumbest things I've ever heard a doctor say. Where is the ethical framework for that? Should mother's make a decision about whether a daughter gets breast implants? It's as medically necessary as circumcision. Please, please don't say the son should look like father. That's so sick.

Thank goodness for Dr Sears. I'm glad he chose to keep his son's intact. Yes, they have more sensitivity, and the bs about being less likely to catch certain diseases doesn't really apply in the western world. The studies about circumcision lessening the chance of spreading HIV were in Africa. And the BS about cirucumcised penis being easier to clean is UNREAL coming from a doctor, a female doctor. Has she taken a look at her genitalia lately? Women's privates have more folds and creases than an intact penis and we are fine. God didn't mess up the design of the penis. It is not hard to keep clean.

on the fence? Watch a video of a circumcision here www.intactamerica.org and see if you can put your infant through that.

Those two doctors who say it's a families decision are wrong. It's the child's decisions, and you shouldn't do a medically unneeded procedure without their consent.