To circumcise or not to circumcise

[Slim]

That is the question.

Suppose you are a student with zero income and you have state sponsored health insurance. You are about to have a baby boy. This insurance will pay for everything RE labor and delivery but NOT circumcision. Circumcision will cost $400.00 out of pocket.

[Danimal]

Why circumcise anyway?

[Slim]

Why circumcise anyway?

This is how I feel. If it were up to me I wouldn't do it. I am of the opinion it is actually a (mild) form of genital mutilation. I'm circumcised and so is our first son (#2 boy on the way) and my wife and I were having this discussion last night. She is very firm in her desire to have the kid circumcised and so I'll end up going along w/ it even though I don't believe in it (I find almost nothing is truly worth arguing about).

She was like "What are we going to tell him when he asks why his older brother's and daddy's peepee look different than his?" And I told her to just tell the kid it was because daddy is a cheapskate.

[Danimal]

This is how I feel. If it were up to me I wouldn't do it. I am of the opinion it is actually a (mild) form of genital mutilation. I'm circumcised and so is our first son (#2 boy on the way) and my wife and I were having this discussion last night. She is very firm in her desire to have the kid circumcised and so I'll end up going along w/ it even though I don't believe in it (I find almost nothing is truly worth arguing about).

She was like "What are we going to tell him when he asks why his older brother's and daddy's peepee look different than his?" And I told her to just tell the kid it was because daddy is a cheapskate.

Ask her if she would chop of your kid's finger if you had a missing finger. I'm circumcised, but my sons are not. My oldest is 8 and it's never been an issue. We explained that I was circumcised and he is not and it's not big deal. There's no medical reason to circumcise and it will diminish his future sexual pleasure.

[TripletDaddy]

another thing to tell your wife is that you have no plans to hang out with your sons to look at each others penises.

Only say this if you are being sincere, obviously.

[SoonerCoug]

Circumcision reduces the risk of HIV transmission and penis cancer.

[Danimal]

Circumcision reduces the risk of HIV transmission and penis cancer.

Yes, but there are plenty of non surgical interventions for reducing HIV transmission risk and with rates of penile cancer, I'll take my chances.

[SoonerCoug]

Yes, but there are plenty of non surgical interventions for reducing HIV transmission risk and with rates of penile cancer, I'll take my chances.

Yeah, penile cancer is very rare. It's a tiny risk either way. I honestly wish I hadn't been circumcized. I have circumcision flashbacks all the time.

[TripletDaddy]

Circumcision reduces the risk of HIV transmission and penis cancer.

the penis cancer portion appears to be a myth.

http://www.cirp.org/library/disease/cancer/

bad doctor. bad.

[marsupial]

I find it odd when women insist on circumcising their sons when the fathers do not want to. My dad is not circumcised and my brothers are. My mom insisted. My brother did not want to circumcise his son but his wife insisted.

Really, making sure that all of you have matching penises is a poor reason to circumcise. I mean, unless you are planning a family penis portrait, who cares?

[SoonerCoug]

the penis cancer portion appears to be a myth.

http://www.cirp.org/library/disease/cancer/

bad doctor. bad.

I think it's more controversial than that web site suggests.

The web site makes stupid arguments like: There are reported cases of penile cancer in circumcized people. How stupid is that? We're takling about risk reduction--not complete elimination of risk.

For example, a recent article in The Lancet argued that circumcision is "the greatest protection for the disease." Between a Lancet article and your web site, I'll take The Lancet.

"Circumcision protects against penile carcinoma and is a well-established prophylactic measure that almost eliminates the occurrence of penile cancer. Neonatal circumcision is done in all Jews, and the carcinoma of the penis is almost nonexistent in this population. Neonatal circumcision reduces the risk of penile cancer by at least 10 times. In Muslims, who circumcise boys before puberty, penile carcinoma is rare. Penile carcinoma is common in Hindus and Christians in Indian who do not routinely circumcise men. Adult circumcision does not offer protection from subsequent development of disease, suggesting that some period of exposure to smegma might be necessary for carcinogenesis, and accounts for the decreased effectiveness of pubertal circumcision and the negligible protective effect of adult circumcision."

These aren't the best forms of evidence, but I think this kind of evidence suggests that there is some risk reduction. What they need is a good randomized trial.

Then the web site proceeds to cite the American Cancer Society selectively. They even claim that the ACS states that circumcision does not reduce the risk of penile cancer, despite numerous reports on benefits of circumcision on the ACS web site: http://www.cancer.org/docroot/NWS/co...rcumcision.asp

Bad lawyer. Bad.

Lastly, I'm not saying that circumcision is necessarily the right thing to do. I have mixed feelings about it, and I think there are a lot of low-quality papers that argue for and against circumcision. They really need large, randomized studies to be more certain.

[TripletDaddy]

I think it's more controversial than that web site suggests.

your first response was funnier, esp in light of your response to Danimal.

[doctorcoug]

Don't do it. You would be depriving your child of an opportunity to have an elevated intensity of orgasm not felt by the circumcised. You see, the male sex organ is just so small, it is difficult for them to climax.

[Non Sequitur]

I find it odd when women insist on circumcising their sons when the fathers do not want to. My dad is not circumcised and my brothers are. My mom insisted. My brother did not want to circumcise his son but his wife insisted.

Really, making sure that all of you have matching penises is a poor reason to circumcise. I mean, unless you are planning a family penis portrait, who cares?

Who knows the circumcision history of not only their immediate but extended family? Do you guys sit around and talk about this stuff during Thanksgiving dinner?

[TripletDaddy]

I think it's more controversial than that web site suggests.

The web site makes stupid arguments like: There are reported cases of penile cancer in circumcized people. How stupid is that? We're takling about risk reduction--not complete elimination of risk.

For example, a recent article in The Lancet argued that circumcision is "the greatest protection for the disease." Between a Lancet article and your web site, I'll take The Lancet.

"Circumcision protects against penile carcinoma and is a well-established prophylactic measure that almost eliminates the occurrence of penile cancer. Neonatal circumcision is done in all Jews, and the carcinoma of the penis is almost nonexistent in this population. Neonatal circumcision reduces the risk of penile cancer by at least 10 times. In Muslims, who circumcise boys before puberty, penile carcinoma is rare. Penile carcinoma is common in Hindus and Christians in Indian who do not routinely circumcise men. Adult circumcision does not offer protection from subsequent development of disease, suggesting that some period of exposure to smegma might be necessary for carcinogenesis, and accounts for the decreased effectiveness of pubertal circumcision and the negligible protective effect of adult circumcision."

These aren't the best forms of evidence, but I think this kind of evidence suggests that there is some risk reduction. What they need is a good randomized trial.

Then the web site proceeds to cite the American Cancer Society selectively. They even claim that the ACS states that circumcision does not reduce the risk of penile cancer, despite numerous reports on benefits of circumcision on the ACS web site: http://www.cancer.org/docroot/NWS/co...rcumcision.asp

Bad lawyer. Bad.

lol.

you have changed your response 4 times already.

it is over. move on.