If you’ve eagerly flipped to this page looking for the definitive medical recommendation on whether to have your son circumcised, sorry, you won’t find the answer here. In almost all cases, circumcision is an entirely personal decision to be made by parents. However, this article will provide you with information that may help you in making that choice.

What Is Circumcision?

Circumcision is the surgical removal of the cuff of skin (called the foreskin) that surrounds and covers the end of the penis (the glans). The removal of the foreskin exposes the tip of the penis. It’s difficult to know how often circumcision is performed on infant boys in the United States because most ritual circumcisions are performed outside the hospital. Circumcision rates also vary widely among racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups. The most recent estimates indicate that about two-thirds of all baby boys born in the United States underwent the procedure in 1995. Circumcision of a newborn generally takes no more than a few minutes, and complications are rare when the procedure is performed by a skilled physician (usually an obstetrician, family physician, or pediatrician) or mohel (a Jewish ritual circumciser). The skin of the penis usually heals within a few days, and little care is needed following the procedure.

Making the Decision

If you know you will be having a boy, you should decide whether to have him circumcised before the birth. You’ll probably have enough on your mind with the excitement of your new arrival without having to make this decision as well. For parents of certain religious faiths, the decision may be simpler and based on a tradition of ritual circumcision that has been performed for thousands of years. In the Jewish and Moslem religions, circumcision is considered an important expression of the child’s relationship to God. In other cases, circumcisions in the United States are performed based on social and cultural custom “his father is circumcised” or “so he won’t feel different from the others” or aesthetic or hygienic considerations. In some cases, the decision is made based on false notions, such as the mistaken belief that circumcision decreases the urge to masturbate. The toughest decisions are when the mother and father disagree, especially if they are from different religious or cultural backgrounds. There’s no easy answer. If both parents learn more about the question and discuss together what they’ve read , it may help them reach a decision they both feel OK about. Sometimes one partner (typically the father) will feel far more strongly about circumcision pro or con than the other. If that’s true in your family, you may want to follow the wishes of the person who cares more deeply about the decision.

Whatever you decide, it may help to keep in mind that, circumcised or not, most boys grow up healthy and happy. How you resolve this dispute whether it brings you closer together or leaves bitterness between you may have more impact on your son’s happiness than what you actually decide.

When Should the Circumcision Be Performed?

If you have decided to have your son circumcised, it’s best to have it done in the first two to three weeks of life. After that age, circumcision becomes a more involved and formal surgical procedure performed in an operating room. General anesthesia is usually required. Also, in contrast to newborn circumcision, stitches are routinely needed to close the wound and control bleeding.