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CircumcisionThis page contains recent news articles, when available, and an overview of Circumcision but does not offer medical advice. You should contact your physician with regard to any health issues or concerns.News: Circumcision Should adult men in areas rife with unprotected sex and AIDS be encouraged to go under the knife? Dec. 14, 2006 | AIDS researchers in Africa have long ... Salon Circumcision Can Reduce AIDS Risk, Study Says - Jul 27, 2005 Circumcised men may be much less likely to contract HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, through sex with infected women, a new study says. ... National Geographic Circumcision Recommended in Global HIV Fight - Mar 29, 2007 By Craig Timberg. JOHANNESBURG, March 28 -- Global health officials said Wednesday that countries with rampant AIDS epidemics should begin offering free or ... Washington Post Call for higher circumcision rate - Mar 26, 2009 Circumcision should be routinely considered as a way to reduce the risk of sexually transmitted infections, argue US experts. ... BBC News Officials Weigh Circumcision to Fight HIV Risk - Aug 23, 2009 By RONI CARYN RABIN. Public health officials are considering promoting routine circumcision for all baby boys born in the United States to reduce the spread ... New York Times Male circumcision called key to slowing AIDS - Jul 24, 2007 SYDNEY, Australia — Associated Press Published on Tuesday, Jul. 24, 2007 9:16AM EDT Last updated on Friday, Apr. 03, 2009 10:09AM EDT ... Globe and Mail AIDS meeting spotlight on circumcision Despite promising research, it... - Aug 16, 2006 ...(08-16) 04:00 PST Toronto -- At a conference often dominated by high-tech research from the world's most sophisticated labs, a medical practice dating back ... San Francisco Chronicle Questioning Whether Circumcision Protects Against HIV - TIME - Oct 7, 2008 By Catherine Guthrie Tuesday, Oct. 07, 2008. Male circumcision has been shown to protect men from acquiring HIV infection during sex with women — it has ... TIME WHO hails circumcision as vital in HIV fight - Mar 28, 2007 It may not seem like the kindest cut, but circumcision has been hailed as a vital new way to combat HIV. In a report issued on 28 March, the World Health ... New Scientist Circumcision could stymie risk of AIDS, say doctors - Jan 20, 2010 By Haaretz Service. Male circumcision may prevent at least three diseases that kill millions each year, according to an article printed in Britain's The ... Ha'aretz HIV circumcision study ends early - Jul 16, 2009 Circumcising men who already have HIV does not protect their female partners from the virus, a study in Uganda has found. Circumcision is known to protect ... BBC News Male Circumcision No Aid to Women in Study - Feb 4, 2008 By LAWRENCE K. ALTMAN. BOSTON — A number of studies showing that circumcision among men reduces their risk of infection from the AIDS virus has raised the ... New York Times Unsafe circumcision can kill: UNAIDS chief - Dec 21, 2006 NEW DELHI: It's well-known that circumcision cuts the risk of HIV infection but an improper surgical procedure without local anaesthesia can kill, ... Times of India Mauritanian Muslim Leaders Ban Female Circumcision - Jan 18, 2010 NOUAKCHOTT, Mauritania — A group of 30 Mauritanian Muslim leaders have issued a religious edict banning female genital mutilation in the West African ... FOXNews More Parents in the US Refusing Circumcision - Jun 19, 2007 SAN FRANCISCO — On the eighth day of her son's life, Julia Query welcomed friends and family to celebrate his birth and honor their Jewish heritage. ... FOXNews Circumcision protects against 2 common sexually transmitted diseases:... - Mar 25, 2009 Dr. Anthony Fauci, of the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, says there is compelling evidence of the health benefits of circumcision. ... CBC.ca South Africa questions circumcision advice - Feb 7, 2008 AP. CAPE TOWN, South Africa — South Africa's health minister took another controversial foray into the AIDS debate Thursday by questioning international ... CTV.ca Court bans forcing boy's circumcision: Non-custodial dad wins right... - Oct 25, 2006 Oct. 25--In a case that has been closely watched by anti-circumcision groups nationwide, a Cook County judge ruled Tuesday that the medical benefits of the ... Free with registration - Chicago Tribune - AccessMyLibrary.com Circumcision: The Flap Over Foreskin Continues - Jan 21, 2010 By Lindsay Lyon Lindsay Lyon Thu Jan 21, 4:54 pm ET. The flap over a flap of skin--foreskin, to be precise--is heating up again, as two influential groups ... Yahoo! News Studies: Circumcision Lowers HIV Risk - Feb 23, 2007 By Joel Roberts. A history of AIDS, US statistics, health facts and a look at how the epidemic has spread. Marked by religious services, ... CBS News Circumcision 'reduces HIV risk' - Oct 25, 2005 Circumcision can reduce the rate of HIV infections among heterosexual men by around 60%, a study suggests. The South African study, reported in Public ... BBC News AIDS-hit Swaziland promotes circumcision - Nov 2, 2008 By CLARE NULLIS, AP Writer. MBABANE, Swaziland — Nelson Mdlovu strides out of the small clinic with a spring in his step and a smile on his lips just ... FOXNews Circumcision doesn't protect gays from AIDS virus - Aug 26, 2009 AP foreign, Wednesday August 26 2009. AP Medical Writer= ATLANTA (AP) â€â€? Circumcision, which has helped prevent AIDS among heterosexual men in Africa, ... The Guardian Father sues to halt son's circumcision - Jun 16, 2006 A DIVORCED couple from Chicago has turned to the courts to resolve a bitter dispute over whether their eight-year-old son should be circumcised, ... Times Online NYC mulls circumcision campaign - AIDS- msnbc.com - Apr 5, 2007 NEW YORK - City health officials are considering a program to urge circumcision for men at high risk of AIDS, noting studies that the procedure can reduce ... msnbc.com Cutting the HIV Rate?(research finding circumcision lowers risk of... - Oct 31, 2005 A landmark study with major implications for the global AIDS epidemic, published this week by French and South African researchers, seems to confirm what ... Free with registration - Newsweek - AccessMyLibrary.com More circumcision needed to control AIDS in Africa - Aug 5, 2008 By Tan Ee Lyn. MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Governments and health communities need to ramp up male circumcision to prevent HIV infection, particularly in ... Reuters UK Circumcision Doesn't Lessen HIV Transmission - Jul 18, 2009 By ROBERT PREIDT. Circumcision may make for a better lover, according to a new study out of Uganda. THURSDAY, July 16 (HealthDay News) -- Circumcision ... ABC News Male circumcision holds promise for preventing HIV - Aug 17, 2006 Adult male circumcision could prevent millions of new HIV infections in sub-Saharan Africa, but circumcised men should not cease practising safe sex, ... CBC.ca Circumcision protects men from AIDS, puts women at risk - Mar 7, 2007 London, March. 7 (AP): Circumcision may reduce men's chances of contracting HIV by up to 60 per cent - but the procedure could put women at increased risk ... Hindu Aboriginal circumcision ceremony marred by alcohol - Jan 10, 2010 THREE teenage Aboriginal boys turned up in the grounds of the bush hospital on December 30. They stood outside with blood pouring down their legs. ... NEWS.com.au Study shows circumcision may reduce AIDS risk - Jul 26, 2005 By Andrei Khalip. RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (Reuters)- Circumcising men can help protect them from the AIDS virus, researchers said on Tuesday after finishing ... Reuters AlertNet Circumcision 'shields some from AIDS' - Aug 9, 2008 Circumcision appears to offer men even greater protection against the AIDS virus than thought and also partially shield them against a common ... Sydney Morning Herald Circumcision cuts HIV transmission risk - Apr 27, 2009 Adult circumcision lowers the risk of contracting the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and the risk of coital injury without reducing pleasure or causing ... Times of India Yitzhak Rabin's assassin, Yigal Amir, celebrates son's circumcision - Nov 5, 2007 The murderer of Yitzhak Rabin, the Israeli Prime Minister who forged the Oslo peace accords with the Palestinians, attended the circumcision of his son ... Times Online US trials in Kenya and Uganda confirm circumcision reduces risk of … - Dec 15, 2006 The US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (part of the US National Institutes of Health) prematurely ended two clinical trials of adult ... Pay-Per-View - Jerusalem Post - ProQuest Archiver A proposed bill to ban male circumcision - Apr 8, 2005 By Sherry Colb. (FindLaw) -- A San Diego, California-based group that calls itself a health and human rights organization recently submitted a proposed bill ... CNN Circumcision: To cut or not to cut? - Jul 16, 2008 Yet as with most things circumcision-related, all is not necessarily as it first seems - starting with the trials themselves. Numerous criticisms levelled ... New Scientist Uganda government outlaws female circumcision - Dec 11, 2009 Minister of Ethics and Integrity James Nsaba Buturo said that the new law, passed without opposition late Thursday, could give offenders a life sentence. ... Salon Israeli experts advise circumcision in Third World - Nov 28, 2006 By JUDY SIEGEL-ITZKOVICH. Israeli experts are urging a visiting World Health Organization (WHO) team to promote circumcisions of both adults and of newborns ... Jerusalem Post Circumcision Can Reduce AIDS Risk, Study Says - Jan 24, 2010 Male circumcision, the surgical removal of the foreskin of the penis, is common in the United States. It is not, however, practiced regularly in many other ... National Geographic Circumcision reduces risk of HIV - Oct 29, 2005 Should men be circumcised to help slow the spread of HIV infection? The controversial idea is on the agenda after a study published this week involving over ... New Scientist Circumcision 'does not curb sex' - Jan 7, 2008 Circumcision does not reduce sexual satisfaction and so there should be no reservations about using this method as a way to combat HIV, a study says. ... BBC News Circumcision cuts the risk of HIV infection: study - Jul 10, 2006 Globe and Mail Update Published on Monday, Jul. 10, 2006 8:20PM EDT Last updated on Tuesday, Apr. 07, 2009 12:28AM EDT. A study published Monday stated more ... Globe and Mail Roger Moore here to promote circumcision project against AIDS - Feb 24, 2009 By JUDY SIEGEL-ITZKOVICH. Sir Roger Moore, the British-born star of seven James Bond films, will donate the fee he earns from appearing at the fourth ... Jerusalem Post Circumcise or not? Parents, you're on your own - Jan 12, 2010 The lack of consensus leaves a wide opening for anti-circumcision campaigners. ... Circumcision has been around since before recorded history. ... msnbc.com Egypt outlaws female circumcision - Jun 29, 2007 Egypt has outlawed all forms of female circumcision, just days after a 12-year-old girl died while undergoing the procedure. ... ABC Online - ABC Online Pediatrician makes case for circumcision - Sep 10, 2005 By PEGGY SPEAR Knight Ridder Newspapers. Prince Charles is, but William and Harry aren't. Jesus was, but Diego Rivera wasn't. Louis XVI wasn't, ... Houston Chronicle Male circumcision gains ground in AIDS fight - May 25, 2008 Kisumu, Kenya - Sitting underneath the bright murals at a clinic, 22-year-old Elijah Ochanda gestures at his shorts and explains: "When they remove this ... msnbc.com Circumcision Studied in Africa as AIDS Preventive - Apr 28, 2006 By SHARON LaFRANIERE. JOHANNESBURG, April 27 — For well over a decade, southern Africans have battled the spread of HIV with everything from condoms and ... New York Times Ouch! Readers react to circumcision debate - Mar 9, 2007 We heard from parents who flatly refused to circumcise their sons, parents who rushed to circumcise their sons and parents who are utterly conflicted over ... msnbc.com City Questions Circumcision Ritual After Baby Dies - Aug 26, 2005 Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg met with Orthodox leaders and health officials at City Hall on Aug. 11 to discuss a practice that some rabbis consider integral ... New York Times Zulus to fight AIDS with circumcision - Dec 7, 2009 THE king of South Africa's Zulus wants to revive the practice of circumcision among his people to help fight the spread of AIDS, the Sapa news agency ... NEWS.com.au Circumcision can save African states billions - Jan 4, 2010 An inmate at the Naivasha Maximum Security Prison undergoes the cut inside the reform facility. Male circumcision is presently regarded as one of the ... Business Daily Africa Ore. Court: Boy Has Say in Circumcision - Jan 25, 2008 By SARAH SKIDMORE, AP Writer. PORTLAND, Ore. — The wishes of a 12-year-old boy should be considered in a dispute between his divorced parents about whether ... FOXNews Circumcision may offer Africa AIDS hope Procedure linked to much... - Jul 6, 2005 French and South African AIDS researchers have called an early halt to a study of adult male circumcision to reduce HIV infection after initial results ... San Francisco Chronicle Scientists Disagree About Circumcision Sensation - Apr 26, 2007 By Brandon Keim. Kimberley Payne of the Riverside Professional Centre in Ottawa, Canada, and her colleagues tested the sensitivity of 20 intact and 20 ... Wired News S. Africa Slow To Encourage Circumcision To Curb HIV - Jul 16, 2006 JOHANNESBURG -- In the year since a major South African study indicated that circumcision reduced the rate of HIV infection among men, several African ... Washington Post Circumcision doesn't protect gay men from AIDS - Aug 30, 2009 New American study finds that circumcision 'is not considered beneficial' in stopping spread of HIV through homosexual sex. Research expected to influence ... Ynetnews Circumcision problems impair HIV prevention: study - Sep 1, 2008 By Laura MacInnis. GENEVA (Reuters) - African health workers need more training and better tools to circumcise men and boys safely for HIV prevention, ... Reuters India Male circumcision lowers cervical cancer risk: Study - Jan 9, 2010 WASHINGTON: Three studies published on Wednesday add to evidence that circumcision can protect men from the deadly AIDS virus and the sexually transmitted ... Sun Daily - The Sun Daily Mass Circumcision in Morocco - Apr 15, 2005 RABAT, Morocco — The infant son of King Mohammed VI (search) was circumcised Thursday, and thousands of Moroccans also went through the procedure in a ... FOXNews Female circumcision heightens childbirth risks - WHO - Jun 2, 2006 By Laura MacInnis. GENEVA (Reuters) - Female circumcision, performed on as many as 3 million girls each year, complicates childbirth later in life and ... Malaysia Star Circumcision said to lower HIV risk - Feb 24, 2007 Two studies, published in The Lancet, of men in Kenya and Uganda confirmed results of research conducted in South Africa two years ago. ... Pay-Per-View - Newsday - ProQuest Archiver No evidence to support routine circumcision - Sep 12, 2009 The key point of the recent statement on circumcision from the Royal Australasian College of Physicians is that the college believes there is no evidence to ... Sydney Morning Herald Circumcision plan rejected by Kenyans - Jul 19, 2008 KISUMU, Kenya, July 19 (UPI) -- Members of western Kenya's Luo community say a proposed circumcision plan aimed at limiting the spread of AIDS is against ... UPI.com Circumcision changes penis bacteria - Jan 6, 2010 BALTIMORE, Jan. 6 (UPI) -- Circumcision, which lowers HIV risk in men, also dramatically changes the bacterial communities of the penis, US researchers ... UPI.com HIV: trial shows male circumcision cuts risk - Aug 25, 2005 ONE MORE trial has shown a positive correlation between circumcision and reduced risk of HIV infection. A trial involving more than 3000 heterosexual male ... The Hindu Eritrea bans female circumcision - Apr 5, 2007 NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Eritrea has abolished the arcane custom of female circumcision, the government said, describing it as threatening the lives of women. ... USA TODAY - USA Today Circumcision cuts STD risk, major study finds - Men's health-... - Nov 6, 2006 Circumcised males are less likely than their uncircumcised peers to acquire a sexually transmitted infection, the findings of a 25-year study suggest. ... msnbc.com The West blamed again as Egypt moves to ban female circumcision - Jun 9, 2008 The Egyptian Parliament has passed a new legislation that bans female circumcision and changes the legal minimum age for marriage to 18 years for both male ... Afrik.com Circumcision proves hit at Campus Health Fair - Oct 24, 2009 By Sydney Mungala. LOOKING at the lenthy the queue, one would not have imagined that students were lining up to have their foreskins sliced! ... postzambia.com Uganda: HIV - Circumcision Isn't Enough - Apr 10, 2007 Experts argue that circumcision alone can never prevent the spread of HIV/Aids but it is yet to be understood by the layman. ... AllAfrica.com Delicate choice just got tougher; Circumcision may protect against... - Nov 28, 2005 As new HIV cases remain at a stubborn 40000 a year and infections continue to disproportionately affect minorities (especially minority women) and the poor, ... Pay-Per-View - Los Angeles Times - ProQuest Archiver Botched circumcision leaves Solwezi man bitterly in pain - Jan 17, 2010 By David Chongo in Solwezi. GIBSON Chamba is annoyed. Annoyed that his decision to go under a clinical officer's knife and perform one important ritual ... postzambia.com Pretoria curbs circumcision - Aug 4, 2006 In the year since a major South African study indicated that circumcision reduced the rate of HIV infection among men, several African countries hit hard by ... The Guardian GLOBAL: Male circumcision - a gamble for women? - Aug 8, 2008 Reuters and AlertNet are not responsible for the content of this article or for any external internet sites. The views expressed are the author's alone. ... Reuters AlertNet S African researchers: circumcision does reduce HIV risk - Apr 16, 2009 ..."After including new data from these trials in their review, Cochrane researchers have changed their previous conclusions that there was insufficient ... 央视国际 Africa: Unhygienic Circumcision 'Increases Risk of Hiv' - Feb 28, 2007 The circumcision procedure itself carries a significant risk of HIV transmission if carried out under unsafe conditions, according to a study. ... AllAfrica.com Rwanda: Circumcision Should Be Embraced As an Extra Measure … - Jan 10, 2010 Kigali — A massive male circumcision campaign is set to begin soon, according to information from the National Aids Control Commission (CNLS). ... AllAfrica.com Bush under pressure, Circumcision, Feminism boomerang, Covering … - Nov 1, 2005 I am no admirer of President George W. Bush or his policies, but it is too much for Paul Krugman to insist, week in and week out, that everything the ... New York Times UN urges circumcision in AIDS-hit southern Africa - Dec 19, 2006 By Kamil Zaheer. NEW DELHI (Reuters) - AIDS-stricken Southern African nations should develop a policy of mass male circumcision to fight the disease, ... Washington Post Circumcision Photo: Zoom 77 - Nov 20, 2008 Proposal to raise circumcision age to 15 causes storm among Jewish community. 'If law is passed, Jews will have to leave place they've been living in for ... Ynetnews School holidays in Malaysia, time for circumcision - Nov 23, 2009 By Royce Cheah. KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters Life!) - Thousands of Malaysian boys will begin the journey into adulthood at mass circumcision ceremonies that start ... Reuters UK Circumcision removes sensitive parts - Jun 19, 2007 WASHINGTON: A new study has found that what boys lose in the process of circumcision turns out to be the most sensitive parts of the penis. ... Times of India HIV Loosens Tribe's Resistance to Circumcision - Sep 7, 2007 By Craig Timberg. MBITA, Kenya -- Family gatherings for Collins Omondi once were boisterous affairs here on the verdant shores of Lake Victoria. ... Washington Post 'Male circumcision can cut HIV infection' - Jul 19, 2007 SYDNEY: Scientific studies have confirmed a long-standing belief that male circumcision can reduce HIV infection rates in men by 60 per cent, ... Economic Times Circumcision benefits backed - Jul 23, 2007 MORE than 5000 delegates will be presented with research confirming that male circumcision can reduce HIV infection rates by 60 per cent. ... Sydney Morning Herald A Small Revolution in Cairo Theologians Battle Female Circumcision - Dec 6, 2006 By Amira El Ahl in Cairo. In Cairo, a small revolution has been launched: A conference of high-ranking Muslim theologians has agreed that the practice of ... Spiegel Online Is Ritual Circumcision Religious Expression? - Feb 5, 2006 By JEFFREY ROSEN. Americans pride themselves on their commitment to freedom of religion, but how much religious freedom is too much religious freedom? ... New York Times Circumcision review - Aug 13, 2007 Victoria announced yesterday it would become the fourth state to no longer provide the procedure at public hospitals for non-medical reasons. ... NEWS.com.au NIH backs circumcision in AIDS fight - AIDS- msnbc.com - Dec 29, 2006 Dec. 12: New studies find that circumcision is key in stopping the transmission of the virus that causes AIDS. NBC's Robert Bazell reports. ... msnbc.com Muslim scholars join rare summit on anti-female circumcision in Cairo - Nov 25, 2006 By AP. CAIRO - Prominent Muslim scholars from around the world, including conservative religious leaders from Egypt and Africa, met Wednesday to speak out ... Ha'aretz Circumcision does not affect HIV in US men: study - Dec 4, 2007 By Maggie Fox, Health and Science Editor. WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Circumcision may reduce a man's risk of infection with the AIDS virus by up to 60 percent ... Reuters India Circumcision May Help Protect Against HIV - Feb 23, 2007 THURSDAY, Feb. 22 (HealthDay News) -- Getting circumcised may reduce men's risk of acquiring HIV, according to a study conducted in Africa. ... Washington Post Circumcision season tackles AIDS - Aug 13, 2008 By Frank Nyakairu in Kampala. UGANDAN authorities have launched a mass circumcision drive with the hope it will reduce HIV/AIDS rates in the east African ... NEWS.com.au Court: Mom Can't Sue Over Circumcision - Feb 6, 2008 ST. PAUL — The Minnesota Court of Appeals has ruled that a mother who didn't like the way her baby's circumcision looked cannot sue a Fridley hospital for ... FOXNews Cosmetic circumcision banned - Nov 12, 2007 CIRCUMCISION will be banned in the state's public hospitals unless it is for medical reasons. Health Minister John Hill today will announce an immediate ban ... NEWS.com.au Circumcision could save money in AIDS-hit Africa - Dec 25, 2006 JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - Male circumcision, which has been shown to decrease the chances of contracting HIV, could save billions of dollars in AIDS-hit ... Washington Post Maintain support for male circumcision - MoH - Jan 14, 2010 The Ministry of Health has urged the public to keep the safe male circumcision campaign alive and to encourage men to go for the operation in large numbers. ... Mmegi Online Background information on Circumcision [When available] Circumcision is the removal of some or all of the prepuce (foreskin). The frenulum is often excised at the same time, in a procedure called frenectomy. The word circumcision comes from Latin circum (meaning "around") and caedere (meaning "to cut"). Female circumcision is a term applied to a variety of procedures performed on the female genitalia, of which only one, the removal of the clitoral hood, is comparable to male circumcision. Except where specified, "circumcision" in this article should be taken as "male circumcision." Reasons for circumcision Circumcision is performed for religious, cultural, and medical reasons. Elective adult circumcision may also be chosen as a form of body modification, or for aesthetic or other reasons. Religious and cultural circumcision Circumcision is a religious practice traditionally required by Judaism, usually performed in a ceremony called a Brit milah or Bris Milah (Hebrew for "Covenant of circumcision"). The ceremony is to be performed on the eighth day after birth of the newborn boy unless health reasons force a delay. A trained professional, called a mohel, performs the ceremony. See also: Circumcision in the Bible. According to nearly all Muslim religious leaders, circumcision is an important element of Islam. Although circumcision is not mentioned in the Qur'an, it is mentioned in some parts of the Hadith, a set of texts explaining Islamic law that most Muslims view as authoritative. Most Muslims believe that Muhammad was born circumcised. Moreover, Hadiths describe that the ritual of circumcision was started by Abraham, who is seen as the founder of Islam. Muslim custom on circumcision varies. Some Muslim communities perform circumcision on the eighth day of life, as the Jews do, while others perform the rite at a different time. Turkish, Balkan, and Central Asian Muslims typically circumcise boys at between six and eleven years of age, and the event is viewed communally as a joyous occasion and celebrated with sweets and feasting. In contrast, Iranian Muslims are typically circumcised in the hospital at birth without much ado. In Egypt, farmers in rural areas celebrate circumcision as a joyous occasion, while in urban populations, as in many industrialized countries such as the USA, the procedure is routinely performed at a hospital. Circumcision is also customary in the Coptic Christian and Ethiopian Orthodox religious traditions. It is usually performed on the eighth day of life. This practice was condemned by the Council of Florence [1] in 1442, held by leading theologians of the Roman Catholic Church, which said in part: Therefore it strictly orders all who glory in the name of Christian, not to practise circumcision either before or after baptism, since whether or not they place their hope in it, it cannot possibly be observed without loss of eternal salvation. [2] Circumcision is also common in a number of African and Australian Aboriginal religious traditions. Among some West African animist groups, such as the Dogon and Dowayo, it is taken to represent a removal of "feminine" aspects of the male, turning boys into fully masculine males. Among Nilotic peoples, such as the Nandi, circumcision is a rite of passage observed collectively by a number of boys every few years, and boys circumcised at the same time are taken to be members of a single age set. Aboriginal circumcision ceremonies, which also constitute a rite of passage, are noted for their painful nature, including subincision for some tribes. The United States and South Korea are the only countries that still practice circumcision routinely on a majority of males for non-religious reasons. Routine circumcision practices in South Korea are largely the result of American cultural and military influence following the Korean War. Medical circumcision Circumcision may be recommended in cases such as phimosis (a very tight foreskin), balanitis xerotica obliterans or posthitis(an inflamed foreskin). Other treatments exist for phimosis [3] and balanitis [4][5][6], though these are not as successful in the case of balanitis xerotics obliterans [7] [8] [9]. Circumcision may also be advised in cases of recurrent balanitis and urinary tract infections, Zoon's balanitis, and penile cancer. A recent South African study found that circumcision may reduce the transmission of HIV (the virus that causes AIDS) by 63%[10]. The study was terminated early so that circumcision could be offered to the control group. However, The Lancet, the most prestigious of all British medical journals, declined to publish the report. "At issue, Auvert and Puren told Science, is an ethical disagreement that involves how participants learned their HIV status and the counselling they received." The study was presented to an International AIDS Society conference in Brazil in July 2005. Some fear that if widespread circumcision is touted as an effective way to reduce HIV infection rates, people will develop a false sense of security and be more likely to engage in sexual intercourse without latex condoms, which would still carry significant risk if either partner has HIV or another sexually transmitted disease. Statistically, uncircumcized men are several times more likely to be carriers of human papilloma virus than circumsized men. HPV is a significant cause of cervical cancer. Circumcized men are less likely to infect their partners. Further, some medical sources believe that being uncircumsized multiplies a man's risk of developing penile cancer. Recommending circumcision for infants as a preventative measure is controversial. No national medical body recommends routine infant circumcision. Some argue that circumcision is a significant public health measure while others have asserted that there are no net benefits to the procedure, or that the drawbacks outweigh the benefits. Still others discourage the procedure altogether. The American Academy of Pediatrics argues that parents should make an informed decision based upon medical and other benefits and risks, [11]. For a detailed discussion, see medical analysis of circumcision. Circumcision and body modification Circumcision may be undertaken voluntarily as a body modification. (See also foreskin restoration). From Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_surgical_procedures Background information on Search the web for more resources on Circumcision |
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