The Circumcision Discussion

Specialties Ob/Gyn

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I know this can be a HUGE debate, and I'm not looking to start any arguments. I was just wondering as you are OB nurses. I'm expecting a boy in July and not sure if we should circ. or not. My husband says yes, it's better medically in the long run. My gpa who just turned 70 had to have a circ. due to endless complications lately.

As nurses in this area, is the medication that they use good? And what are some questions to ask my Dr. about it. I already know that my hospital i'll be at uses a med. when they perform it, I"m just wondering what you all think.

Thanks

Jen :)

First off...long time reader, first time poster, pleased to meet you all.

Obviously, I feel strongly about this issue or I wouldn't have joined and started posting. I'm uncirc'd...just to be clear. 28 years old, never had a problem.

Just a few points:

1) I have read a lot of "I knew a guy who was uncircumcised, got a horrible infection , he wished he had been" OF COURSE! If I had a horrible infection in my member and was told circ. was the only cure I'm sure I would feel the same way. As it stands, never had an infection, never wished I had been. I've seen circ'd guys with infections too.

2)I have also heard a lot of questions about anybody remembering it. Of course they don't. Come on, you're days old at the time. Remembering the pain isn't the issue, it's voluntarily putting somebody through it.

3) I don't smell, I don't look ugly, I don't taste bad, I don't have unprotected sex, I don't go days without washing, I don't see the problem.

4) If the majority of men weren't circ'd, the "aesthetic" issue would turn 180 degrees...it's all about what you are raised to believe isn't it? You ever see a foreskin in Media?

5) How about pre-emptive mastectomies? I've seen more breast cancer than non circ'd penile infections...would that solve a lot of problems? (A little harsh I know)

6) I have THOUSANDS of more nerve endings in my member than the guys out there that are cut. It's not like the foreskin is just dead skin...it has feelings too! Funny, I don't seem to have a problem "lasting" because of it.

Just my two cents....again, nice to meet you, I'm sure we'll get better aquainted in the future, hopefully in a not so hot topic.

Damien

Nice to meet you Damien. You give good imput and should post more often.

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Specializes in Community, OB, Nursery.
First off...long time reader, first time poster, pleased to meet you all.

Obviously, I feel strongly about this issue or I wouldn't have joined and started posting. I'm uncirc'd...just to be clear. 28 years old, never had a problem.

Just a few points:

1) I have read a lot of "I knew a guy who was uncircumcised, got a horrible infection , he wished he had been" OF COURSE! If I had a horrible infection in my member and was told circ. was the only cure I'm sure I would feel the same way. As it stands, never had an infection, never wished I had been. I've seen circ'd guys with infections too.

2)I have also heard a lot of questions about anybody remembering it. Of course they don't. Come on, you're days old at the time. Remembering the pain isn't the issue, it's voluntarily putting somebody through it.

3) I don't smell, I don't look ugly, I don't taste bad, I don't have unprotected sex, I don't go days without washing, I don't see the problem.

4) If the majority of men weren't circ'd, the "aesthetic" issue would turn 180 degrees...it's all about what you are raised to believe isn't it? You ever see a foreskin in Media?

5) How about pre-emptive mastectomies? I've seen more breast cancer than non circ'd penile infections...would that solve a lot of problems? (A little harsh I know)

6) I have THOUSANDS of more nerve endings in my member than the guys out there that are cut. It's not like the foreskin is just dead skin...it has feelings too! Funny, I don't seem to have a problem "lasting" because of it.

Just my two cents....again, nice to meet you, I'm sure we'll get better aquainted in the future, hopefully in a not so hot topic.

Damien

Nice to hear some other perspective, Damien.

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Specializes in Accepted...Master's Entry Program, 2008!.
Personally i think compairing circumcision with cutting off ones ears is compairing apples to chevrolets. So then are you against vaccinations? Since that is not reversible. And personally when someone says to you "get over it" i find that rude.

Vaccinations do not permanently alter my physical structure, nor do they remove thousands of nerve endings. I am a male, and this is a very important part of my anatomy. If I had to choose between ears and foreskin, I'd prefer they had my ears removed.

Obviously, I feel strongly about this issue or I wouldn't have joined and started posting. I'm uncirc'd...just to be clear. 28 years old, never had a problem.

Just a few points:

1) I have read a lot of "I knew a guy who was uncircumcised, got a horrible infection , he wished he had been" OF COURSE! If I had a horrible infection in my member and was told circ. was the only cure I'm sure I would feel the same way. As it stands, never had an infection, never wished I had been. I've seen circ'd guys with infections too.

2)I have also heard a lot of questions about anybody remembering it. Of course they don't. Come on, you're days old at the time. Remembering the pain isn't the issue, it's voluntarily putting somebody through it.

3) I don't smell, I don't look ugly, I don't taste bad, I don't have unprotected sex, I don't go days without washing, I don't see the problem.

4) If the majority of men weren't circ'd, the "aesthetic" issue would turn 180 degrees...it's all about what you are raised to believe isn't it? You ever see a foreskin in Media?

5) How about pre-emptive mastectomies? I've seen more breast cancer than non circ'd penile infections...would that solve a lot of problems? (A little harsh I know)

6) I have THOUSANDS of more nerve endings in my member than the guys out there that are cut. It's not like the foreskin is just dead skin...it has feelings too! Funny, I don't seem to have a problem "lasting" because of it.

Just my two cents....again, nice to meet you, I'm sure we'll get better aquainted in the future, hopefully in a not so hot topic.

Damien

Thank you Damien.

I have very strong feelings about this as well. Finally, some validation....As the circumcised age, those thousands of nerve endings will be highly valued. And especially point #4 -- there would be no aesthetic issues if this practice stopped.

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I sat through a wound care seminar in class the other day....Anyway one of the products used for skin replacement apparently has foreskin as a constituent ingredient.....(Just checked my notes its Dermagraft)

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In parts of Africa, girls are routinely circumcised, it's a Muslim practice. . All or most of the external genitalia is removed.

If you think about it, probably these women have a slightly lower incidence of bladder infections and STDs: The labia, if proper hygiene isn't used, could harbor bacteria and viruses. Sans clitorus, a girl may not put her dirty hands in the area as often as a girl with an intact clit...

Male and female circumcision are related because it's the same practice. Different sex and different motives, of course.

I believe that Americans, in general, are misinformed about male circumcision. Although Jews have been performing this practice for thousands of years, nonJewish Americans have only been routinely circumcising boys for a few generations.

What we didn't learn in 8th grade history class:

During WWI, our boys were hip-deep in trenches frequently. They also spent alot of time in the many brothels in western Europe. This combination must have had some nasty results b/c the military started circ'ing our boys to keep em cleaner in those conditions. By the time the war ended, our docs were circ'ing our babies, as well. It was easier than doing it to full grown men, cuz they didn't have to worry about anesthesia, I suppose...

When I was pregnant with a boy in 2000, I found this awesome article (can't think of the term for a paper that explores many different studies and summarizes a trend or a result, but that's what it was.) I was so excited! I finally was going to find out what science says is favorable for my child. (cuz, at the end of the day, thats what we all really want, right?) The paper compared many reputable studies, and guess what...It's a tie! :madface:

He considered rates of infections and penile cancer and UTI's and STDs and botched surgeries and nonretracting foreskins, and more. He compared the pros with the cons and it's a wash. Sorry I can't remeber the title of the article, but it is completely unbiased and very informative.

In the end, my husband and I didn't circumcise, but we definitely rode the fence on the issue.

Its called metanalysis

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I'm not particularly passionate about this topic one way or another, and I'm not easily offended by anything in this thread. However, can I give a high five, AMEN, You Go Girl! For the highlighted sentence above.

Double Ditto!

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Specializes in Oncology/Haemetology/HIV.
Female circumcision is purely an African cultural tradition that crosses religious divisions and is practiced by Muslims, Christians and Pagans. I don't think Muslims elsewhere practice this.

That actually is incorrect.

The practice is documented in a number of other areas, including the Middle East, Asia, and Europe (most often Eastern Europe). It also was done to juvenile and adult females, here in the USA, allegedly to treat masturbation and mental illness/hysteria. There are documented surguries in the USA at least up to the 1940s.

It has been documented in several religions, including some Coptic Christians in Eastern Europe.

The procedures are still done, surreptiously/privately in the USA, England and France, among communities of an minority culture/religion.

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I think they are outdated and needless. It's cosmetic surgery on an infant. There's no good reason to do them.

As for how to help when they are done there are 4 ways to make it easier...1. Use sugar syrup (endorphins), 2. Always Lidocaine. 3. Plastibell use by the doctor, and 4. Tylenol afterwards.

One thing I'm going to say that is personal is that I've had sex with circumcized and uncircumsized and the uncircumsized was far more comfortable!! That's something that is not umimportant.icon12.gif

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Specializes in Accepted...Master's Entry Program, 2008!.

That's the general concensus from what I've read.

Another link:

http://www.twbookmark.com/books/70/0446678805/chapter_excerpt15690.html

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Mojo, I am not sure why one would quote an OPINION of some unknown person ( and a very insulting opinion I should add) to prove that circumcion is good.

I grew up in a country where men are not circumcised and I never had any problems with any of my partners regarding hygeine. My husband is circumcised but our son isn't and I personally find it offensive when people say (or quote) insulting things regarding circumcision.

And just to add on a subject of HPV, before I came to the US I had a clean bill of health, but I was infected with HPV by a circumcised partner here, in US. I honestly believe that the main cause of any STD is unprotectd sex, not whether one has a foreskin or not.

A-MEN!

My in-laws are British, my husband is British, and when my sister in law was pregnant two years ago we actually had this conversation (three of us were mildly intoxicated and my sister-in-law was having a laugh with us as a result) and I really don't get the whole American fascination with circumcision. If it was SOOOOO awful to not be circumcised, don't you think all of Europe would have some sort of nasty disease? I've known my husband for nine years and I have yet to hear of him having some INFECTION because he's unclean. Take a bath, folks...

That said, it's a choice, and if we ever have a son, we won't unless it's medically necessary. What others do with their sons is their business. But I refuse to have individuals who have no experience with it tell me that not circumcising means the man is dirty or more prone to disease. None of my relatives over here in the UK (I'm actually in England right now!) have ever heard of someone being ill because they weren't circumcised, and if it were as common as some Americans would lead you to believe, you'd think at least ONE incident would come up. Not a one.

Ridiculous. Completely ridiculous. As I said, take a bath, folks. Soap, water, and good hygiene will generally work wonders.

And to Anagray, I too agree - unprotected sex is what causes one to catch an STD, and not the presence or absence of a foreskin!

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One thing I'm going to say that is personal is that I've had sex with circumcized and uncircumsized and the uncircumsized was far more comfortable!! That's something that is not umimportant.icon12.gif

yup....if i had had a son, he would not have been circ'd, for his future wife as well as himself

mvan--great article

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I'm almost afraid to post! This is only my opinion!

The uncircumcised member is just downright ugly! I'm sorry but it is. Not to mention nasty most of the time. Soap and water once or twice a day, even three times a day just isn't going to get it.

Oral sex would be absolutely out of the question unless possibly right out of the shower. :eek:

Since our most intimate parts are concealed and protected by two folds of skin which harbor their own share of bacteria and wetness on their own, I would think that, in all fairness, you could say the same about us, right? I mean, we urinate, you can't possibly believe that wiping with toilet paper doesn't cause some urine to, uhm, MIGRATE, could you?

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