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Newborn Circumcision And Its Benefits

By Ines Flores


Circumcision is one of the most ancient practices that have been passed over generations for centuries. Although the reasons as to why the practice is carried out vary between communities and generations, the basics of how it is performed have remained largely unchanged. Ancient communities carried out the cut mainly for religious and cultural rites of passage but today a great majority of people do it for medical purposes. Newborn circumcision is the main form of practice that is practiced among the Jews and in many western countries.

Proponents of circumcision have advanced a number of arguments to support the practice. One of these benefits is the fact that circumcised boys have a lower risk of suffering form urinary tract infections as compared to their uncircumcised counterparts although recent scientific research finding show that this benefit is minimal. As they grow into adults and become sexually active, circumcised men are said to have a higher sexual sensitivity than those that are uncircumcised.

There are no hard and fast rules regarding the timing of undergoing the cut. Many parents in Toronto, ON prefer to have the procedure carried out within the first 10 days after birth. There are many reasons as to why this is the case. The first of these reasons is the fact that it is convenient since it can be carried out before the mother leaves the hospital. It is performed by either the obstetrician or the pediatrician present during birth. The other advantage is that babies heal faster than older children meaning that hospital stay is shorter.

In some cases, the procedure may be delayed to a later date. For instance, if the baby is born prematurely, doctors will recommend that the he be admitted until the weight is acceptable. This is because the premature baby may not tolerate the anesthesia used for the procedure. In the event that an abnormality of the genital organs is identified such as that affecting the urethra, it is advisable that circumcision be delayed.

Generally, this procedure is very safe but a few complications may be encountered occasionally. Some of the complications that have been reported include local infection and bleeding. The good news is that these complications are easy to manage especially within the hospital setting. The important thing is to identify these complications early and to address them in a timely manner.

After the procedure, the penile area should be kept as clean as possible to keep infections at bay. Gentle cleaning with warm water should be done at least once daily. There may be some irritation by diapers especially in the first three to five days but this is usually relieved by application of petroleum jelly on the wound.

If performed in the right manner, the wound will take between 7 and 10 days to heal. There may be residual redness of the penile tip but this subsides with time. During the first few days, look out for excessive bleeding, fever and production of pus from the penis. In the event that you notice any of these signs get in touch of your doctor. Failure to pass urine for 12 hours after the surgery requires to be addressed immediately.

For those that decide against circumcision, it is important to maintain hygiene as well. Daily cleaning of the uncircumcised penis as you wash the baby helps to get rid of bacterial organisms that may be harbored beneath the foreskin. Ensure that this is done gently bearing in mind that the foreskin takes about 3 years to be fully retractable.




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