Circumcision is the surgical removal of all or part of the skin that covers the head of the penis. An uncircumcised penis has a loose fold of skin called the foreskin or prepuce that covers the glans (head of the penis). Methods and rates of circumcision vary across cultures. In the United States and parts of Europe, physicians usually perform circumcisions, typically within days of a boy’s birth. In other societies, traditional or religious practitioners perform circumcisions. Wallpaintings depicting male circumcision from ancient Egypt show that the practice is more than 5,000 years old.
Circumcision is usually performed because of cultural or religious preference rather than for medical reasons. Parents may choose to have their sons circumcised because the father is circumcised or because the operation is common in their society. Jews and Muslims traditionally practice circumcision. A traditional Jewish circumcision is performed by a person called a mohel << MOY ehl >> on the eighth day after a boy’s birth. Muslim boys are circumcised by a traditional circumciser on their eighth day or later in childhood. Many societies in sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia circumcise boys around puberty as a rite of passage to manhood.
Research shows that circumcision provides some health benefits. Many physicians believe the operation makes the glans and penis easier to clean and thereby helps prevent infection. Uncircumcised males are more prone to infections of the urinary tract, the structures that produce and eliminate urine. Circumcised males also have a lower risk of infection with many sexually transmitted diseases, including syphilis and HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. Circumcision greatly reduces the risk of developing cancer of the penis, and it reduces the risk of cervical cancer in female sexual partners. Some uncircumcised men develop phimosis << fy MOH sihs, >> a painful condition in which the foreskin tightens around the glans. Circumcision prevents this condition.
Circumcision is a relatively simple and safe procedure involving few complications when performed by a trained and properly equipped practitioner. However, serious complications can follow if the operation is done by unqualified individuals in unsanitary conditions.
A procedure sometimes called female circumcision is practiced by many ethnic groups in Africa and the Middle East. The procedure, also known as female genital mutilation or cutting, involves the partial or complete removal of the clitoris, a sensitive part of the female genitals, and the surrounding tissue. In some cultures, the operation is considered an important part of a woman’s preparation for marriage. There are no known health benefits to the operation. Females who undergo the operation face serious health risks, including loss of blood, infection, lasting pain, reduced ability to enjoy sexual relations, and difficulty with childbirth. For these reasons, medical authorities, human rights organizations, and international health agencies have condemned female genital mutilation.
See also Female genital mutilation .
