I am pregnant with a boy and am considering having him circumcised. Why are boys circumcised?

Circumcision is a surgical procedure that removes all or part of the male foreskin on the penis. It is performed in both the Jewish and Muslim traditions. For Jews, circumcision is a sacred pact between Abraham and God that is to be done on the eighth day after birth. Muslims circumcise later in childhood. In the United States, circumcision became popular in the late 19th century to discourage masturbation and other illnesses. By the mid-20th century, nearly 90% of American boys were circumcised. The United States hasthe highest rate of circumcision in the world for non-religious reasons. Worldwide 10-15% of men are circumcised.

In 1989 a report concluded that circumcision reduces the risks of urinary tract infections, cervical cancer in women and sexually transmitted diseases. Many doctors have since dismissed these findings. Currently, the American Academy of Pediatrics has recognized that there are no medical benefits to justify circumcision. Circumcision does not prevent cancer of the penis, cervical cancer is not more common in sexual partners of intact males and circumcision does not prevent sexually transmitted diseases. As a result, less boys are being circumcised. In the late 1960s circumcision was 90 percent compared to 60 percent nowadays.

Circumcision is the most common surgical procedure in the United States. Up until recently circumcision was the only operation in which the patient was not given anesthesia. The American Academy of Pediatrics has now recommended that babies undergoing circumcision be given a local anesthetic to prevent pain and psychological trauma from surgery without anesthesia. In the Jewish bris, a trained mohel uses wine soaked cloth or local analgesia cream for the ceremony.