CDC rec to counsel all males about benefits of circumcision

[sistrmoon]

Wasn't sure the best place to put this, but here's the article:

CDC Considers Counseling Males Of All Ages On Circumcision : Shots - Health News : NPR

What do you think of this? Have you read the African studies and do you think they translate to our population? Do you think it's a good idea from a public health standpoint?

[Red Kryptonite]

Women are the ones who get approached to sign the consent forms after birth. So they ARE making the decisions. When a father wants his son not to be circumcised, guess what, the hospital doesn't care if the mother signs the consent to have it done.

[canigraduate]

(a little tongue-in-cheek, but.....if he wants to bring it your way, you DO kinda have a say )

As for the parenting thing, it's hard to imagine that as a mother, you'd leave such an important thing exclusively up to your husband to decide. You would be the child's mother, after all. And while religion is a compelling reason in my family, it is not in my husband's....and HE couldn't have been more in favor of our sons having the procedures done. His reasons weren't religious, but medical. I do think, though, a major fight would have ensued if we hadn't agreed....but then, I think we'd also have known that before getting into the situation to start with!

I have no strong feelings either way, as I said earlier. I have looked over the studies, in case it should come up, and feel those on either side make interesting points, but none of the evidence is compelling enough for me to push for or against.

Now, spanking, on the other hand...

[wtbcrna, MSN, DNP, CRNA]

From the National Institutes of Health:

Pathologic and physiologic phimosis

"Physiologic phimosis" is the normal state of affairs in a toddler! His foreskin is supposed to still be attached to the glans and the process of separation is slow and usually completes during puberty!

https://urology.ucsf.edu/patient-care/children/phimosis

Correction pathological phimosis not physiological, but the point is the same it happens all the time in males that are not sexually mature.

Male circumcision can be medically necessary at any age. Male circumcision has public health/medical benefits. Those are undeniable facts.

That you do not agree that male circumcision should be done routinely is fine, but stating that it is higher risk than it actually is, it is mutilation, that education and hygiene will resolve all the problems that male circumcision can sometimes prevent are nothing more than opinions and lies.

[wtbcrna, MSN, DNP, CRNA]

Women are the ones who get approached to sign the consent forms after birth. So they ARE making the decisions. When a father wants his son not to be circumcised, guess what, the hospital doesn't care if the mother signs the consent to have it done.

Well then that is a healthcare problem, if and when both parents are available that the father is not included in the decision.

I highly doubt that most newborn male's mother and father haven't already discussed circumcision prior to consent anyways. It is one of the many things that is usually brought up in prenatal visits, and most parents will discuss male circumcision prior to birth.

[Red Kryptonite]

Phimosis - the inability to retract the foreskin- is not pathological before the completion of puberty. It's just normal male anatomy.

[RNsRWe, ASN, RN]

I have to agree with RNsRWe on this. Why in the world would any mother just give up her role as advocate for her child?

To be clear, Red, I wasn't suggesting that she would be giving up her role as advocate, just that as a mother she'd probably feel more compelled to step in than she does now (since now it's just a theory).

Before becoming a parent, I had some pretty certain ideas about what I would and would not do when I did have a child, and I can assure everyone out there that I changed my mind ALL the time from those pre-child ideas....and still do!

[RNsRWe, ASN, RN]

Women are the ones who get approached to sign the consent forms after birth. So they ARE making the decisions. When a father wants his son not to be circumcised, guess what, the hospital doesn't care if the mother signs the consent to have it done.

Is this true? I have a hard time imagining that a hospital would take on the liability of performing a procedure for which only HALF the legally-consenting adults agree.....and in fact, one half of the parental unit does NOT agree.

I'd think that they would refuse to perform it until a concensus was reached.....or at least, that's what I'd expect to happen, since let's face it: Dad can sue, too

[RNsRWe, ASN, RN]

I have no strong feelings either way, as I said earlier. I have looked over the studies, in case it should come up, and feel those on either side make interesting points, but none of the evidence is compelling enough for me to push for or against.

Now, spanking, on the other hand...

Fair enough. Spanking, I think we should let that ride for another day, or another MESSAGE BOARD as it has no medical value (for or against)!

[Red Kryptonite]

I've talked to many people who claim it happened to them. I have no reason to think they're lying.

Many have said that because the mother is technically the hospital patient, hers is the only consent they seek. When I had my sons, they approached me about it when my husband wasn't there and as far as I know never asked him if he wanted it done or not.

[RNsRWe, ASN, RN]

I've talked to many people who claim it happened to them. I have no reason to think they're lying.

Many have said that because the mother is technically the hospital patient, hers is the only consent they seek. When I had my sons, they approached me about it when my husband wasn't there and as far as I know never asked him if he wanted it done or not.

Many people for whom there was a disagreement at the time of the baby's birth on whether to circumcise, and the hospital chose to circumcise? I'm not sure if I'd say they were lying, but it certainly seems strange to me.

And it's not the mother's consent that is needed because SHE is a hospital patient...the INFANT is the hospital patient in question....circumcision can be done whether the mother is currently admitted or not.

I couldn't swear to it in court (there were a lot of drugs involved at the time) but I'm pretty sure a nurse DID ask my dh about this. Will have to confirm with him....

[Red Kryptonite]

No, fathers who tried to prevent circumcision, but the mother consented and it happened based only on her consent.

As I said, I'm involved in intactivism so I'm sure I come across more of these people than your average Joe.

[macawake, MSN]

I thought my point was pretty clear. As a woman, I don't feel it's my right to make a decision for a male about male genitalia. If it ever came up, I would defer it to a male, who has intimate knowledge of the part in question that I don't. Obviously, you feel that it is your right to make this decision. Difference of opinion noted.

You have expressed your opinion, so obviously you are able. I didn't say anything that indicated otherwise. I just indicated that I find it crazy that it's women who are spearheading this debate when we don't have the part in question, or at least that was my intent.

If you are male, then I think it is perfectly acceptable for you to make decisions about your son's genitalia. If you are not, then I find it a gray area. I would not make this decision. I, again, would defer it someone who has the part in question. I would also do the education, benefits vs. risks, that I would for any procedure.

(bold mine)

This is slightly frustrating. How can you read my post and conclude that I think that I have the right to make the decision?

I do NOT have the right to make decisions about another person's genitalia or any other part of their body. That is my entire point.

Neither do you or anyone else in my opinion.

The only person who has the right is the person who inhabits the body. This is about an individuals autonomy and right to make decisions that have life-long consequences for themselves.

I don't see it as a gender issue.

Are we only allowed to stand up for the rights of individuals of the same gender as ourselves, and just let the other half of the human population fend for themselves? I have an opinion on this issue as a human being, not as a man or a woman.