The Circumcision Discussion

Specialties Ob/Gyn

Published

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 :)

Specializes in LTC.

oh, I dunno

I don't seem to suffer from any horrible flashbacks from having my circumcision done as a newborn...and I'm pretty happy with my cut, if I do say so myself.

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I think guys who have this procedure done as adults are pretty gutsy.

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besides a pacifier, what else could have been helpful for the baby?

For the 2 hour circ baby, a patient advocate could have been helpful. :sniff:

I have assisted with circ's before and most only last about 10-15 minutes.

Baby should have Tylenol pre-procedure and sweet-ease on a paci during the procedure.

Before we started using sweet-ease, I was skeptical about it's effectiveness, but since we started using it a few years ago, I am a believer.

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oh, I dunno

I don't seem to suffer from any horrible flashbacks from having my circumcision done as a newborn...and I'm pretty happy with my cut, if I do say so myself.

Me too. I wonder if we had the same doc?

I've had far, far worse things happen to me without nearly the benefits that circ's provide. For those who have them done when they are older as adults, why do they do this you think? Ask them, and the answers will really suprise you. To say there's no medical reason for it is irresponsible.

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Specializes in MICU.

Circumcising a child because something "might" go wrong someday doesn't sound like such a great idea to me.

Why not remove toenails at birth? Then he'd never suffer from toenail fungus- something he has a much higher risk for than anything circumcision claims to "fix." Or, for that matter, remove his appendix now so that he won't "remember" it.

I'm with CRNI- we call ourselves superior then mutilate half our species at birth.

I say that if a man truly wants a circumcision, he's welcome to have one when he's old enough to decide for himself to have a cosmetic procedure.

I could never, in good conscious, assist in such a procedure.

My heart goes out to them.

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Specializes in Cardiac.
See what I mean?:coollook:

Yep, I see what you mean!

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when my little boy was circ'd I made my dr. promise to numb him. he said it wasn't normal, but he put numbing gel, then a shot, then cir'd him. It doesn't help much for the pain they experience while healing though.

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Specializes in Pulmonology/Critical Care, Internal Med.

Being a Male I have opinions on this. Go figure a male with opinion on something.

1. I have no problem at all with Circumcision. I'm happy I was

2. I have a SERIOUS problem when no anesthesia is used. I think every doctor that circs a baby without anesthesia should have the EXACT same thing done to him. Already circ'd, I'm sure we can figure out how to do a "mini" on you. It would never be acceptable on an adult to not use anesthetic. I refuse to help any doc that does not use some form of Anesthesia. There was also a study done quite a few years back that showed that little boys who were circ'd with anesthesia tended to have a higher pain tolerance than boys who were not.

3. It does have medical purposes, one being reduced transmission of STD's in particular HIV, you can do all the teaching you want about Condoms, still doesn't mean they are going to listen.

4. Cleanliness, thats all I gotta say

5. What is barbaric to one culture is religious to another circ's are forced on parents, the parents have the right to decide what is to be done to their baby. Be it circ, vaccine, surgery, etc. Who are we to judge, i'm sure we all do things that others would find objectional.

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Specializes in ER, telemetry.

Neither of my boys were circ'd, mainly because I think it is cruel and unnecessary. I don't subject my kids to painful procedures unless absolutely necesssary.

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Specializes in Psych, Derm,Eye,Ortho,Prison,Surg,Med,.

There is no medical reason for removing the prepuce. If God wanted not to have it, He would have left the glans member uncovered.

When the prepuce is removed, the glans member becomes keratinized and loses sensitivity. This creates a problem for those who wish to engage in masterbation, and it makes it a little more difficult for them.

Religious organizations also promote circumcision in the mistaken belief that the child "won't touch down there."

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Specializes in ER/Trauma.

The United States is the only Western nation with a majority Christian population that practices large scale circumcision for non-religious reasons.

If circumcision was all that much more beneficial, wonder why the billions of Indians and Chinese and millions of Europeans and aisans don't get them done regularly. And they don't seem to suffer from serious, detrimental health effects either.

Personally - No son of mine is ever getting circumcised as a kid. As an adult, that's his headache.

Just my opinion.

cheers,

Part of the "leave 'em poor kids alone" brigade.

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Specializes in ER,Neurology, Endocrinology, Pulmonology.

when I was growing up noone around me was circumcised and the only people who had problems are those who did not practice good hygeine and safe sex.

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