About 1 in 10 newborn boys in Australia undergo circumcision in Australia today. Male circumcision has been performed for religious and cultural reasons for thousands of years. In some cultures and religions, it remains an important religious and cultural ritual.
Back in the 1950s, roughly 80 per cent of Australian men and boys were circumcised. That rate has steadily decreased and now, around 20 per cent of Australian newborns are circumcised. This is largely due to developments in modern medicine.
What is circumcision? Circumcision is a surgical operation to remove skin or tissue from the genitals. All forms of female circumcision are illegal in Australia.
Circumcision will be painful for the baby or child, both at the time of the operation and for some days after. The Paediatrics & Child Health Division of The Royal Australasian College of Physicians(RACP) strongly recommends the use of pain relief both during and after the operation.
A 2013 review looked at studies into the effect of male circumcision on sexual function and enjoyment. The review found that in the most accurate studies, circumcision had no negative effects on sexual function, sensitivity, pain, or pleasure during sexual intercourse.
In Australia today, fewer than 20 per cent of boys are circumcised. When considering circumcision for your child, you should be aware of the possible risks and benefits.
In the 1950s, the rate of circumcision in Australia was about 80 per cent. The ratio of cut to uncut has since reversed: It's estimated about 20 per cent of newborn boys are now circumcised.
Eventually, the foreskin should be retracted far enough during urination to see the meatus (the hole where the urine comes from). This prevents urine from building up beneath the foreskin and possibly causing an infection. As long as the foreskin doesn't easily retract, only the outside needs to be cleaned.
Circumcision might reduce the risk of urinary tract infections (UTI) for boys, and of contracting a sexually transmitted infection (STI) or cancer for men. Complications of male circumcision are rare, but it will be painful for the baby and child at the time of the operation and for a few days afterwards.
It is prevalent in some Muslim-majority countries in southeast Asia such as Indonesia and Malaysia; however, the WHO states that there is "little non-religious circumcision in Asia, with the exceptions of the Republic of Korea and the Philippines".
In Japan, routine male circumcision has never been implemented for newborns and children, and adult males are mostly circumcised at aesthetic clinics. However, media reports indicate a trend of Japanese mothers willing to have their sons circumcised.
The prevalence of circumcision varies widely in western countries led by the USA (71 per cent), New Zealand (33 per cent), Australia (27 per cent), the UK (21 per cent), France (14 per cent), Germany (11 per cent), Sweden (5 per cent), Italy (3 per cent) and Ireland (1 per cent).
Almost 60% of men reported that they would prefer to be circumcised and 76% of women stated a preference for circumcised sexual partners.
The American Academy of Pediatrics considers circumcision a choice for parents to make. Some parents choose circumcision for religious or cultural reasons. It is important to consider the pros and cons, how the surgery is performed and the potential complications. Not all insurance companies pay for the procedure.
Most boys will be able to retract their foreskins by the time they are 5 years old, yet others will not be able to until the teen years. As a boy becomes more aware of his body, he will most likely discover how to retract his own foreskin. But foreskin retraction should never be forced.
Current health advice in Australia does not support routine circumcision for non-medical reasons. However, it is considered reasonable for parents to think about the risks and benefits of the procedure in their own son's situation when deciding whether or not to circumcise their child.
About 60 percent of boys in the U.S. are circumcised at birth, which means that 40 percent are uncircumcised. So both circumcised and uncircumcised penises are common in the U.S. It's also worth mentioning that in many countries outside of the U.S, it's much more common to be uncircumcised.
The most common complications associated with circumcision are bleeding and infection. Side effects related to anesthesia are possible as well. Rarely, circumcision might result in foreskin problems.
There is some evidence that circumcision has health benefits, including: Less risk of urinary tract infections. A reduced risk of some sexually transmitted diseases in men. Protection against penile cancer and a lower risk of cervical cancer in female sex partners.
Despite the aforementioned benefits, newborn circumcision rates in the United States have declined significantly over the past few decades.
On the other hand, some circumcised women report having satisfying sexual relations including sexual desire, pleasure and orgasm. Female genital mutilation does not eliminate sexual pleasure totally for every woman who undergoes the procedure, but it does reduce the likely of orgasm.
The available data suggest there are important indirect health benefits of male circumcision for women, in particular a reduced risk of exposure to HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
However, circumcision does not increase the penile size, and a meta-analysis revealed that circumcision does not affect premature ejaculation10.