CIRCUMCISION
Report #7075; 4/1/97
The pendulum swings back and forth. The most recent issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association shows that circumcision does not prevent venereal diseases (1).
In 1975, the American Academy of Pediatrics issued a position statement that circumcision offers no health benefits (2). Then several studies showed that uncircumcised males are 10 times more likely to suffer urinary tract infections under the age of five (3,4,5,6) and that they are more likely to suffer venereal diseases as adults (7,8). As a result,/ in 1989, The American Academy of Pediatrics shifted its position and issued another position statement that circumcision is healthful and prevents diseases (6). This most recent study shows no health benefits from circumcision for adult males. It does not show prevention of venereal diseases and it does not show prevention of cancer of the penis. However, this study found a reason for men to still want to lose their foreskins. Men who are circumcised are far more creative in their lovemaking. They are 1.4 times as likely to masturbate at least once a month and they are also 1.4 times as likely to engage in heterosexual oral sex. So, in 1997, the most important reason for having a male child circumcised is for religious belief. A lesser reason is to encourage your children to become more creative when they are adults.
By Gabe Mirkin, M.D., for CBS Radio News
1) JAMA April 2, 1997.
2) Pediatrics 1975; 56: 610-611.
3) JC Craig, JF Knight, P Sureshkumar, E Mantz, LP Roy. Effect of circumcision on incidence of urinary tract infection in preschool boys. Journal of Pediatrics 1996 (Jan); 128(1): 23-27.
4) JA Roberts. Neonatal circumcision: An end to the controversy? Southern Medical Journal 89: 2 (FEB 1996): 167-171.
5) Pediatrics 1985; 75: 901-903.
6) Am J Dis of Child. 1989; 143: 348-350.
7) Med J Australia 1983; 2: 228-290.
8) Pediatrics 1989; 84: 388-391.
Health Reports from The Dr. Gabe Mirkin Show and DrMirkin.com