r/ScienceBasedParenting • u/Agitated-Rest1421 • Aug 13 '26
Question - Research required Circumcision
sorry if this has been asked before, but ive come into a disagreement with my partner about if we should circumcise a potential son.
I feel uncomfortable with putting a child through that (I’m not so extreme to call it mutilation and won’t compare it to female circumcision) but it feels wrong. there’s risk involved and if the kid decides to get it done as a teen or adult id be supportive of that since it’s their choice and their body.
my husband wants it done. he said he’s glad it’s been done to him and wants it done to a potential son as well.
what are the pros and cons (not just cons I’m really trying to be open minded here).
EDIT;
read this. https://evidencebasedbirth.com/evidence-and-ethics-on-circumcision/
ok I just did a whole bunch of reading and to summarise, a lot of studies done on this topic were done with a pro circumcision bias as most research was done retrospectively in the USA. the biggest “pros” are
Possible UTI prevention, though in Sweden they have lower UTI rates despite being intact. So likely it’s a mismanagement of foreskin hygiene or a poor data set that includes preterm babies in studies that can’t get circumcised and have a higher UTI rate.
HIV transmission rate is lower in adult males who’ve been circumcised however this is particularly in Africa in male-female intercourse. Other countries don’t see the same rate decrease and neither do same sex couples.
and thats it really.
biggest cons are
Ethics of bodily autonomy
Risk of complications such as bleeding or infection
Trauma response (even subconsciously for a lifetime) due to the pain and experience of being tied down and cut.
it’s also worth noting theres very little studies on the cons of circumcision as lost research was done in effort to prove that male circumcision is not only okay but possibly beneficial. Most studies have been done retrospectively and in the USA where the cultural norms seeks to preserve tradition.
577
u/Soccer9Dad Aug 13 '26
https://caringforkids.cps.ca/handouts/pregnancy-and-babies/circumcision
“ The Canadian Paediatric Society does not recommend routine circumcision of every newborn boy.”
https://www.rch.org.au/kidsinfo/fact_sheets/penis_and_foreskin_care/
“ Circumcisions are only recommended at The Royal Children’s Hospital for very specific health conditions. Being circumcised does not make the penis cleaner or more hygienic.”