Circumcision Debate

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Hi all. Our HealthGate topic of the week is a debate about circumcision. Is it a minor operation, (endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics) that improves cleanliness and that a baby doesn't feel or an unethical mutilation, with no medical basis, that has long-lasting effects

Originally posted by nurseJLoo

Yuck an unpeeled banana!:chuckle

OMG! Never heard that one before! hehehehehehehe..... :) :) :)

Specializes in Geriatrics/Oncology/Psych/College Health.

All of the uncirc'd tallywhackers I've seen were 70+ years old due to too many years of geriatric care. They were a bear to get caths in is all I remember.

I remember read an article in Natural Health that, with enough time and effort (and tape) there is a process by which a man can regrow his foreskin.

Originally posted by Nurse Ratched

I remember read an article in Natural Health that, with enough time and effort (and tape) there is a process by which a man can regrow his foreskin.

I'm gonna pass thanks. hehe. No tape shall be put voluntarily on Mr. Shakey. I think he's fine without his helmet.

hehe.....

Wow! What a hornet's nest! Let's see--I was taught that the rate of penile CA in uncircumised males was like a gazillion times higher than non--basically you would only get penile CA if you weren't circed. I also remember learning about the cervical CA link to uncirced males. I believe that it was also used as a way to identify Jews during the Holocaust........

I dated a Cuban guy in college--uncirced and a virgin. We had sex and he ended up in ER with bleeding, tears etc--no, I am not an Amazon(LOL)-his foreskin was too tight......he had an elective circ 2 days later. He ended up on Dilaudid for the pain, had spinal anes., had bad rxn to spinal and was in hosp. for 3 days; home flat on back for 1 week. Didn't have sex with him again, so have always wondered if he "got over" it so to speak......

All that said, I did have my 2 sons circed. Would I do it again? dunno-it seems that there is a societal shift going on towards non-circ. DEFINETLY do not want what happened to that poor kid in the middle school locker room.......

Parents make decisions that alter their children's lives on an almost daily basis...there is no owner's manual and precious little sensible advice. I think most parents are doing the best they can, seeing as how they need the wisdom of Solomon, telepathy, hindsight and an endless supply of patience, not to mention money! This issue is a judgement call for the parents--don't think there is a true right or wrong.

Originally posted by liberalrn

Parents make decisions that alter their children's lives on an almost daily basis...there is no owner's manual and precious little sensible advice. I think most parents are doing the best they can, seeing as how they need the wisdom of Solomon, telepathy, hindsight and an endless supply of patience, not to mention money! This issue is a judgement call for the parents--don't think there is a true right or wrong.

Exactly! ITA!

Originally posted by OBNURSEHEATHER

And I was disappointed to hear the nurse who brings up money to the patient who is undecided. What a last ditch effort to persuade someone to your way of thinking. Shame on you.

I hope that everyone who has brought their heated argument here can leave it here. Our patients deserve to hear pros AND cons, and make the decisions themselves. They don't need to hear words like "mutilation, barbaric, sadistic, or mistrust".

Heather [/b]

I agree with Heather, I thought as nurses were supposed to give our patients information so they could make their own informed decisions, not give our opinions that may sway their decisions. Lucky for me, I only have 1 daughter so I was never forced to make that decision. But after witnessing circ, where local anesthesia was used, the babies fuss a little, but not the way some people have portrayed the screaming pain that they feel. If I had a little boy, I would choose the have him circumcised, for the hygienic reasons and so he would not have to ask why he did not look like his daddy. Just my opinion.

Ummm, I guess that was me. For the record, I don't tell mothers about the price to make up their mind for them, I tell them because it is a fact and most ask. I am not just a little offended that you would think a parent shouldn't be told that they'll have to pay for it. I wouldn't think springing a bill on her as she's discharged would be an ethical or caring thing to do, thank you very much. I have never tried to scare a woman into circing or not and as long as you weren't there I think it is a little bit inappropriate to shame me.

Specializes in Corrections, Psych, Med-Surg.

"I remember read an article in Natural Health that, with enough time and effort (and tape) there is a process by which a man can regrow his foreskin"

That is true, it is called "non-surgical foreskin restoration" and takes 1+ years of daily discipline to accomplish. It involves tape and constant traction to cause the skin to grow increasingly longer, until it doubles back on itself and starts to be a foreskin. A lot of work, but cheaper, of course, than the $15K+ surgical procedures available.

Cici is only done out of religious or health reasons here.

There are no more men dying of penile cancer and European men certainly don't smell of urine. Well, not more as any other men, who don't know how to wash themselves.

As for the cath of older men, that is always a hassle, with or without foreskin, isn't?

I wouldn't have been happy about having a son circ'd. But I wouldn't have made a huge "deal" about it. I told my hubby he could choose if we had a boy because I didn't have a bone to pick!!! Heh - get it?

But anyway, the 17 year old son of a friend of min had to have a circ. Too tight, didn't retract, all that stuff. I was concerned, not only because of the pain, but maybe that there'd be a problem with self-imagine and all, being 17 years old and all.

He just sailed through it and my friend seemed to wonder why I thought it was going to be such a big deal?

Love

Dennie

Alright, for crying out loud what is the big deal. The majority of people lets say about 99% of the people who I've met that are totally against this procedure are either women or uncirc'd men. For the love of god let it go already in a nutshell boys are circ'd if there pappy was and that's pretty much it. And I have assisted in hundreds of these procedures and have only seen two babies cry and chances are they were cryin' cause they were cold. And for the love of god, show me someone who had it done when they were a little tyke that actually remembers the bloody procedure. If you want to have your child done great, go for it. If not don't but really IT'S NOT A BIG DEAL.

im not done and ive never had any problems, if i had kids would i get it done??? no i wouldnt, it wouldnt even be a thought. if there was some medical reason for them to have it done i would. to get it done "because daddy had it done" seem preaty silly. out here the rate of circs done is very low, its basiclly non existant

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