To Circumcise or Not?

To circumcise or not – that’s always a big question with the birth of a newborn son. It often causes a difference of opinion, even between the parents, and reports are that the practice is in decline. But the American Academy of Pediatrics is now reported to be moving closer to endorsing the procedure, albeit still with leaving the final decision up to the parents.

Fox News reported that the policy statement Monday from the American Academy of Pediatrics claims that circumcision reduces chances of infection with HIV and transmission diseases, urinary tract infections and penis cancer. It is these benefits that have now caused the academy to update its policy to make this recommendation.

Circumcision is a procedure that removes foreskin at the tip of the penis. The procedure is reported to reduce germs. Another study cites the declining rates and projects that this could add more than $4 billion in health costs in future years as a result of increased illness and infections because of this decline.

The same article, however, reports that activists continue to try and get the procedure banned, saying it amounts to genital mutilation and is merely cosmetic.

So what do you think, is circumcision something that should be encouraged? Or do declining rates indicate that the practice is becoming outdated and not really necessary?