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 :)

Originally posted by Anagray

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I am wondering, why he thinks that having foreskin is gross? Kids usually form opinions based on what they are taught. :o

Just wanted to respond that I had never even broached the subject of circumcision vs not circumcision with my sons before this. We haven't taught them that it is gross. I've always been very open about calling their member a member . .not some funny little name, although my husband calls it a "tallywacker". My sons say that boys have all kinds of names for it regardless of my determination to use the proper terminology and also my determination that they never feel ashamed of the genitals. I've had very open and honest conversations with them about sex.

Out here in the "west" by the way, my kids say most boys are circumcised. So maybe it just looks funny to them because it is different.

And remember, I'm the one who did NOT want them circ'd. Their DAD did. And THEY are glad they are. I guess my thoughts were that most guys seems to appreciate being circ'd and so maybe we are worrying about nothing.

Hey, I'm on the side of those who are against circumcision.

:D steph

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I know Steph, :) I am glad that your son is happy about what you have done .. it would be absolutely horrible otherwise... what I would like is for the norm to be changed as there is no medical reason to do it as far as I understand...

over here they may, in very rare cases, have to do a late circumcision but it is then done with full pain relief. It is also allowed for strict religous reasons.. it is definately not concidered the norm.

you were saying that most men are glad they don't have a foreskin, but I think that that may be because of cultural influence rather than anything else ... they have nothing to compare with really as they have never had one and don't know one it feels?...

I really hope you don't feel I am being agressive about this, I just want to give you a view of a culture where boys are kept the way they were born and think anything else is strange

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Specializes in ER,Neurology, Endocrinology, Pulmonology.

Steph, I appologize, I should have explained myself better. I did not mean to imply that YOU taught the kids that. I meant that the environment/culture influenced the way he feels about that issue.

For years people here were taught that intact = dirty, so it still lingers on.

I imagine it was a very diffifcult issue for you to deal with when the kids were born, especially when there was no support from med.community. I didn't mean to offend you.

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Diana and Anagray . . . oh my goodness, no offense taken. Just wanted to clear up any misunderstanding. :)

I'm not easily offended.

But thanks!

steph

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nice to hear it Steph :)

so good to have a nice intelligent conversation, thank you !

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Nursee, I don't know where you are getting your figures from, but you should double check them before you involve a whole country. You stated that Canada was one of the countries mostly intact. In my years there working, NOT. The uncircumsed male of any age was the exception, not the rule. In the 90's circumcision was a routine part of newborn care. The odd mother who refused was considered extreemly strange at the time.

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It isn't the norm here in my part of Canada. It is not covered by our provincial health plan and so few parents who don't feel strongly pay for it.

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To reply to the the first post of mom who will be having a little boy.....first congrats on having a boy. I have two of my own little sluggers running around and I do mean sluggers. They are honery little things LOL. Anyway, they have both been circed. I am a nursing student, but work at a hospital and have assisted with many circumcisions. Truly it is a personal decision. I can only tell you what I have witnessed. First their was a post that explained the procedure and it is very accurate. The only thing I can say is that I have not been able to tell a difference between using Lidocaine or nothing at all. We give the babies a little bit of sugar water and a gloved pinky to suck on and that seems to work just as good as the lidocaine at soothing them. After the procedure babies are cuddled and most of the babies fall right to sleep or are just looking around. Note: newborns have fresh diaper and warm t-shirt and blankets to sooth; therefore the result of no crying. I always have put a warm blanket on baby before procedure(there is a certain way to do that so as to not contaminate sterile field). This helps as well. All in all it is a personal preference because we can look at study after study all day long and one will say something is wrong with the other. Simply talk to your doc about it and your husband/significant other/family and reach the decision that way. Just thought you might want to know how most babies react to the procedure. Hopefully it was helpful.

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Just to the mom-to-be who first posted....for anesthesia where i work, the pedi's and the OB's will use 2% lidocaine penile block, the GP's use 1%. One of the OB's gives tylenol after x1 dose, no one else does. The clamps used depend on the doc..sheldon or gomco, and one still uses the plastibell.

The best arguement i ever heard for or against was to decide among the parents whether to look like Daddy or not. There are pro's and cons to the issue, so I don't think there is 100% correct either way. I have worked in nursing homes and seen where the need for a circ became life threatening, because the cardiac condition the gentleman had was so fragile the doc was wondering if he would survive the circ....all for a 5 minute procedure on an infant......

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Originally posted by stevielynn

I agonized over this issue with my first son (as I've told here previously) . . .DAD wanted it done. Second son, I made DAD watch. He came out saying "that was cool". Divorced, Remarried. Had a daughter . . .whew!! :-) Then 12 years later had a son. DAD wanted him circ'd.

I think MEN are the ones who want their son's circ'd . . .

And that is an interesting question . . . . . let's ask the guys . .. .

Why do you want your sons circ'd?

steph

well the biggest reasons are cultural and that dads want their sons to look like them.often they do little research it seems before forming an opinion.

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The pediatricians here do a local anesthetic. Babies hurt like anyone else. As for the rest, well my son's wife had a boy this year. They researched the topic and discovered the US is the only non-third-world country still practicing this procedure. As a pedi nurse I have seen a definite decline in the numbers of babies being circumcised. If there is no religious tenet to follow I would not recommend it.

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The US isn't the only non-third world country practising it, unless Canada has really slipped in the world ranks!

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