Hospitals were parents are pressured to circumcise

gagezoie · Feb 5, 2008

When I did clinical while in school someone would go to O.B for the day. When it was my turn I found out there was a doctor who refused to participate in circs and some of the nurses also. That was their right and the hospital agreed that they didn't have to participate. After I watched what was done I made up my mind that I would have no part of it in the future. I had to leave the room. I personally think if the parents saw how it was actually done then most would decide against it. I know I would have never put my little boy through that if I would have seen what it was like. None of the Dr's pressure one way or the other but the ones who wouldn't participate let the parents know they would not be the ones doing the procedure. If asked why then they would tell their side of the story (only when asked). This was a very small community and the O.B was also the pediatrician.

marilynmom, LPN, NP · Feb 5, 2008

Ya, I was pretty surprised at how little patient education there is for the parents for this procedure. And the babies who were not circ'ed were laughed about how funny and ugly their memberes were. I thought the whole thing was just sad.

I was equally surprised at how many doctors do this with no anesthesia!! Nothing at all because "they won't remember it anyways". I saw one doctors use anesthesia and it made a WORLD of difference for that baby (not in nearly as much pain).

I have 2 daughters thankfully.

allnurses Guide · Feb 5, 2008

I just want to say, for my own part, I didn't have my son circumsized and was fully supported in that decision by the hospital where I had him (which was a hospital that I used to work at).

I did some research beforehand and came to the conclusion that it was a mostly unneccessary procedure.

nickola · Feb 5, 2008

Interesting website

www.nocirc.org

RNMeg · Feb 5, 2008

We just discussed pain in my med/surg lecture. One of the examples given was circumcision, and how for years the medical community didn't think babies could feel pain, because their "nerve fibers were immature". A recent study showed that babies who had been circumcised without anaesthesia had a greater pain response when exposed to painful stimuli later, like immunization injections, than babies who had not been circumcised or who had anaesthesia for their circumcision. Verrrry interesting.

Elvish, BSN, DNP, RN, NP · Feb 5, 2008

At our hospital it depends on who's doing the educating. Some docs & nurses do a better job than others. I am anti-circ. I at least try to engage parents in an intelligent conversation about circumcision, so they will at least think about WHY they're doing it (it amazes me how many people don't!). I don't go in & tell them that they're horrible parents for wanting it done, though I think if people saw one before deciding, more people would decide against it. But I do let them know that they don't HAVE to, and even if they decide in favor of it, they have til the last minute to change their minds. And the fact that Medicaid doesn't cover circ in our state helps open the door to a conversation as to its medical un-necessity.

Back to the OP's topic, I've not met any nurses, and very few docs, who pressure parents to circ.

kythe, LPN · Feb 5, 2008

In my area, most boys are uncirc'ed. I was uncertain at first and discussed it with our pediatrician when I was pregnant. I remember her acting very surprised when I asked if she used anesthesia - she took it as a given that anesthesia is used. We ended up deciding not to circ anyway, and I have never regretted it.

I was equally surprised at how many doctors do this with no anesthesia!! Nothing at all because "they won't remember it anyways". I saw one doctors use anesthesia and it made a WORLD of difference for that baby (not in nearly as much pain).

Honestly, how do they get away with this? Would they do any other kind of surgery without anesthesia on a newborn? What about those needing to repair a birth defect, such as a heart problem or other congenital malformation? Until what age would they not use anesthesia? Does this apply only to newborns, or older babies or even toddlers who may still be too young to remember a procedure?

Is there any way to lobby for laws against this? I think it should be illegal to do surgery without pain relief.

allnurses Guide · Feb 5, 2008

There is one doc here locally that uses no anesthesia due to one RARE case of a baby being injured by the injection.

steph

thomasl · Feb 6, 2008

Ya, I was pretty surprised at how little patient education there is for the parents for this procedure. And the babies who were not circ'ed were laughed about how funny and ugly their memberes were. I thought the whole thing was just sad.
I was equally surprised at how many doctors do this with no anesthesia!! Nothing at all because "they won't remember it anyways". I saw one doctors use anesthesia and it made a WORLD of difference for that baby (not in nearly as much pain).
I have 2 daughters thankfully.

I did not go into detail in my OP but in the one of the hospitals a mother was constantly harassed by the staff about her decision not to circ. In fact they even brought in a whole team of nurses and docs to try and convince her. When she asked about anathesia they told her that they do not use it because the babies do not feel it. They never even gave her a reason to do it so I believe there were money motivations for the doc. Not only was she harassed they also mixed up her baby's chart with another baby that had something wrong with him and they told the mother there was something wrong with her baby not realizing the screw up. There was a young teenager the next room who gave birth to a boy. When the nurse asked her if she wanted her son circed the girl did not even know what circ was. All the nurse told her it was a routine procedure they do there and that it is better if he is circed. No informed consent at all. The other mother that I spoke of heard the whole conversation. To me that is malpractice and unethical.

Elvish, BSN, DNP, RN, NP · Feb 6, 2008

All the nurse told her it was a routine procedure they do there and that it is better if he is circed. No informed consent at all. The other mother that I spoke of heard the whole conversation. To me that is malpractice and unethical.

If that's what was said (and I have no reason to doubt you), then you're exactly right that it wasn't informed consent.

Recently I had documentation in my hand that a doc had talked w/ a mom regarding risks/benefits/alternatives of circ, and that she wanted it. I went in there to have her witness the consent, and when I asked if she had any questions before she did so, she asked me what circumcision was. Turns out she DIDN'T want it.

You better believe someone heard about that.

allnurses Guide · Feb 6, 2008

If that's what was said (and I have no reason to doubt you), then you're exactly right that it wasn't informed consent.
Recently I had documentation in my hand that a doc had talked w/ a mom regarding risks/benefits/alternatives of circ, and that she wanted it. I went in there to have her witness the consent, and when I asked if she had any questions before she did so, she asked me what circumcision was. Turns out she DIDN'T want it.
You better believe someone heard about that.

WOW. :grn: