Circumcision information australia

Male Circumcision - Better Health Channel

Male circumcision is an operation to remove the foreskin that covers the tip of the penis. The functions of the foreskin include protecting the head of the penis and contributing to sexual sensations. While recent research suggests that circumcision may bring some medical benefits, some doctors believe these are too small to justify surgery.

A medical circumcision is a circumcision performed to treat a disease, such as pathological phimosis (lichen sclerosis), recurrent balanitis or recurrent urinary tract infections.

A request circumcision is a circumcision performed for non-medical reasons, such as parental preference, religious reasons or to potentially prevent disease at some future time.

Circumcision is mostly performed on babies for family, religious or cultural reasons.The Royal Australasian College of Physicians’ statement, Circumcision of infant malesExternal Link, was produced for doctors and to assist parents who are considering having this procedure undertaken on their male children. For more information, see the Urological Society of Australia and New Zealand’s guidelines, Performing circumcision on infant malesExternal Link.

Parents deciding on circumcision

When considering circumcision for your baby, you need to be aware of the possible risks and benefits.You should also be aware that the rights of parents to give consent to a circumcision for their child are disputed. Some men resent that they were circumcised as children. They resent being deprived of the ability to make the decision for themselves as adults.For more information, see Circumcision: A parents' guide to routine circumcision of male infants and boysExternal Link.

Medical reasons for circumcision

Recent research suggests that circumcision may bring medical benefits such as:

a 10 times lower risk of a baby getting a urinary tract infection (UTI) in his first year of life (remembering that only one per cent of babies are at risk of a UTI, so 1,000 circumcisions are needed to prevent one UTI)
no risk of infants and children getting infections under the foreskin
easier genital hygiene
much lower risk of getting cancer of the penis (although this is a very rare condition and good genital hygiene also seems to reduce the risk. More than 10,000 circumcisions are needed to prevent one case of penile cancer)
a possibly lower risk of men getting sexually transmissible infections (STIs) than men who are not circumcised (although these studies have not been scientifically confirmed and safe sex practices are far more effective in preventing these infections).

For more information see Guidelines for male circumcision in the Victorian public hospital systemExternal Link.

Reasons not to choose circumcision

There are also good reasons why parents choose not to have their sons circumcised, such as:

wanting to avoid surgery that is not essential and that carries some risk of complications, even though these are small
concern that removing the foreskin may reduce the sensitivity of the tip of the penis and reduce sexual pleasure for both partners later in life
wanting to avoid the pain of circumcision, which can occur at the time of the operation and for some time after.

Circumcision of older boys and men

Some older boys and men need to have a circumcision due to medical problems such as:

scarring of the foreskin that stops it from retracting (phimosis)
recurring inflammation or infections of the penis (balanitis or lichen sclerosis)
a foreskin that is too tight and causes pain or spraying when urinating
recurrent urinary tract infections.

Medical issues with circumcision

If you are considering circumcision for yourself or your son, you need to discuss a range of issues with your doctor or surgeon including:

medical history
any possible bad reactions or side effects from the anaesthetic.

Circumcision may be performed in the first few days after birth under local anaesthetic or after six months of age under general anaesthetic. Parents and their doctor should make sure that the person performing the circumcision is experienced and competent, uses appropriate anaesthetic and has the skills to deal with any potential complications.

Procedure for circumcision

There are different methods of circumcision. Either local or general anaesthesia should always be used.

The plastibell procedure involves numbing the area with local anaesthetic creams or injection. A bell-shaped instrument is inserted under the foreskin to separate it from the penis. The foreskin is then removed using scissors or a scalpel.

Alternatively, circumcision can be performed as a formal surgical procedure, using dissolving sutures or tissue glue.

Immediately after a circumcision

After the operation you can expect:

discomfort and swelling
a small patch of blood in the baby’s nappy (smaller than a 10-cent piece – if it is any larger, contact your doctor immediately)
the wound area looking unsightly for about 10 days.

Complications after a circumcision

Complications following circumcision are rare, but can include:

pain
excessive bleeding
infection
cutting the foreskin too short or too long
irritation to the head of the penis, since the foreskin seems to protect the head of the penis
narrowing of the meatus (the tube that allows urine to exit from the body)
reduced sensitivity, which may cause a decrease in sexual pleasure later in life or painful intercourse for the man’s sexual partner.

Taking care of your child after circumcision

Be guided by your doctor, but general suggestions include:

giving your child lots of cuddles and comfort
applying a little petroleum jelly or ointment on a light gauze dressing to the wound
applying fresh petroleum jelly and a new gauze dressing at each nappy change. This reduces the risk of urine irritating the wound
a daily bath to keep the area as clean as possible.

Seek urgent medical attention

See your doctor immediately if your child experiences:

continuous bleeding from the wound
blue or black discolouration of the penis
failure to produce a wet nappy within six to eight hours of the circumcision
fever
ongoing pain
redness or swelling of the penis that doesn’t resolve after three to five days
a yellowish discharge from the penis
the plastic bell (if used) not falling off after 10 to 12 days.

Genital hygiene and the uncircumcised penis

A young boy’s foreskin is usually attached to the glans (head) of the penis until about five years of age. Do not try to pull back the foreskin before it is ready, as this may damage the delicate tissues and cause scarring. Generally, the foreskin of a child is best left alone.

A boy’s foreskin may become retractable anywhere between the first couple of years and puberty. Frequently, there are adhesions (areas that are still connected) between the glans of the penis and the inner layer of the foreskin. Adhesions are normal and will separate over the first 15 years of life.

After puberty, the foreskin should be easily retractable. The oily glands beneath the foreskin produce a thick, white substance called smegma, which must be carefully and regularly washed away.

Where to get help

Your GP (doctor)
Your local community health centre
Maternal and Child Health Line (24 hours) Tel. 13 22 29
Healthy MaleExternal Link
Sexual Health Victoria (SHV)External Link. To book an appointment call SHV Melbourne CBD Clinic: (03) 9660 4700 or call SHV Box Hill Clinic: (03) 9257 0100 or (free call): 1800 013 952. These services are youth friendly.
NURSE-ON-CALL Tel. 1300 606 024 – for expert health information and advice (24 hours, 7 days)
The Royal Children’s Hospital MelbourneExternal Link Tel. (03) 9345 5522

Male Circumcision - Better Health Channel

A medical circumcision is a circumcision performed to treat a disease, such as pathological phimosis (lichen sclerosis), recurrent balanitis or recurrent urinary tract infections.

A request circumcision is a circumcision performed for non-medical reasons, such as parental preference, religious reasons or to potentially prevent disease at some future time.

Circumcision is mostly performed on babies for family, religious or cultural reasons.The Royal Australasian College of Physicians’ statement, Circumcision of infant malesExternal Link, was produced for doctors and to assist parents who are considering having this procedure undertaken on their male children.For more information, see the Urological Society of Australia and New Zealand’s guidelines, Performing circumcision on infant malesExternal Link.

Parents deciding on circumcision

When considering circumcision for your baby, you need to be aware of the possible risks and benefits.You should also be aware that the rights of parents to give consent to a circumcision for their child are disputed. Some men resent that they were circumcised as children. They resent being deprived of the ability to make the decision for themselves as adults. For more information, see Circumcision: A parents' guide to routine circumcision of male infants and boysExternal Link.

Medical reasons for circumcision

Recent research suggests that circumcision may bring medical benefits such as:

a 10 times lower risk of a baby getting a urinary tract infection (UTI) in his first year of life (remembering that only one per cent of babies are at risk of a UTI, so 1,000 circumcisions are needed to prevent one UTI)
no risk of infants and children getting infections under the foreskin
easier genital hygiene
much lower risk of getting cancer of the penis (although this is a very rare condition and good genital hygiene also seems to reduce the risk. More than 10,000 circumcisions are needed to prevent one case of penile cancer)
a possibly lower risk of men getting sexually transmissible infections (STIs) than men who are not circumcised (although these studies have not been scientifically confirmed and safe sex practices are far more effective in preventing these infections).

For more information see Guidelines for male circumcision in the Victorian public hospital systemExternal Link.

Reasons not to choose circumcision

There are also good reasons why parents choose not to have their sons circumcised, such as:

wanting to avoid surgery that is not essential and that carries some risk of complications, even though these are small
concern that removing the foreskin may reduce the sensitivity of the tip of the penis and reduce sexual pleasure for both partners later in life
wanting to avoid the pain of circumcision, which can occur at the time of the operation and for some time after.

Circumcision of older boys and men

Some older boys and men need to have a circumcision due to medical problems such as:

scarring of the foreskin that stops it from retracting (phimosis)
recurring inflammation or infections of the penis (balanitis or lichen sclerosis)
a foreskin that is too tight and causes pain or spraying when urinating
recurrent urinary tract infections.

Medical issues with circumcision

If you are considering circumcision for yourself or your son, you need to discuss a range of issues with your doctor or surgeon including:

medical history
any possible bad reactions or side effects from the anaesthetic.

Procedure for circumcision

There are different methods of circumcision. Either local or general anaesthesia should always be used.

Alternatively, circumcision can be performed as a formal surgical procedure, using dissolving sutures or tissue glue.

Immediately after a circumcision

After the operation you can expect:

discomfort and swelling
a small patch of blood in the baby’s nappy (smaller than a 10-cent piece – if it is any larger, contact your doctor immediately)
the wound area looking unsightly for about 10 days.

Complications after a circumcision

Complications following circumcision are rare, but can include:

pain
excessive bleeding
infection
cutting the foreskin too short or too long
irritation to the head of the penis, since the foreskin seems to protect the head of the penis
narrowing of the meatus (the tube that allows urine to exit from the body)
reduced sensitivity, which may cause a decrease in sexual pleasure later in life or painful intercourse for the man’s sexual partner.

Taking care of your child after circumcision

Be guided by your doctor, but general suggestions include:

giving your child lots of cuddles and comfort
applying a little petroleum jelly or ointment on a light gauze dressing to the wound
applying fresh petroleum jelly and a new gauze dressing at each nappy change. This reduces the risk of urine irritating the wound
a daily bath to keep the area as clean as possible.

Seek urgent medical attention

See your doctor immediately if your child experiences:

continuous bleeding from the wound
blue or black discolouration of the penis
failure to produce a wet nappy within six to eight hours of the circumcision
fever
ongoing pain
redness or swelling of the penis that doesn’t resolve after three to five days
a yellowish discharge from the penis
the plastic bell (if used) not falling off after 10 to 12 days.

Genital hygiene and the uncircumcised penis

After puberty, the foreskin should be easily retractable. The oily glands beneath the foreskin produce a thick, white substance called smegma, which must be carefully and regularly washed away.

Where to get help

Your GP (doctor)
Your local community health centre
Maternal and Child Health Line (24 hours) Tel. 13 22 29
Healthy MaleExternal Link
Sexual Health Victoria (SHV)External Link. To book an appointment call SHV Melbourne CBD Clinic: (03) 9660 4700 or call SHV Box Hill Clinic: (03) 9257 0100 or (free call): 1800 013 952. These services are youth friendly.
NURSE-ON-CALL Tel. 1300 606 024 – for expert health information and advice (24 hours, 7 days)
The Royal Children’s Hospital MelbourneExternal Link Tel. (03) 9345 5522

Circumcision is done less frequently in Australia

SBS Language

- Hello, is this your watch workshop? - No, I do circumcisions. - So why do you have a clock hanging over the entrance? - And what did you want me to hang over the entrance? This is an old Odessa joke. But questions about this ancient practice are back on the agenda today. The debate over the ban on circumcision of newborn boys is taking place in Iceland, while in Australia the number of circumcisions is falling.

Source: Pixabay

What is circumcision?

Circumcision of the foreskin of infant boys has been practiced for centuries by many for religious and cultural reasons. As you know, this is a common practice among Jews, Muslims and rare Christian communities. It is also practiced in some Australian Aboriginal communities.

Benefit or risk?

The World Health Organization (WHO) considers early life and childhood circumcision to be generally safe and hygienic, but there are certain risks identified by healthcare professionals.

According to the Royal Australasian College of Medical Specialists (RACP), there is insufficient evidence for the health benefits of circumcision as a routine procedure for male infants.

RACP refers to recent studies that only outline the possible protective properties of circumcision, particularly against urinary tract infections in infancy. Also in countries where the transmission of sexually transmitted infections is high, circumcision can reduce the risk of contracting HIV/AIDS.

In Iceland, the Progressive Political Party introduced a bill banning circumcision, to which the Jewish, Muslim and Catholic communities reacted strongly.

According to the bill, circumcision violates the UN convention on the rights of children. The text of the law states that boys should have the right to make their own decisions when they reach maturity and "understand what is involved."

Why is the number of male circumcisions declining in Australia?

Representatives of all three religious groups called the bill an attack on religious freedom.

How many are circumcised?

A 2010 WHO report states that one third of the world's men are circumcised. In Australia, 59% of the male population has been circumcised.

However, there is evidence that this rate is significantly reduced among the younger generation.

Medicare reports that 6,309 newborn boys were circumcised in fiscal year 2016-2017.

In 10 years, their number has dropped significantly. There were 19,663 circumcised babies under 6 months of age in 2007-2008.

Some cases may not have been registered in the Medicare database because only partial reimbursement records are included.

But according to Professor Paul Colditz, of the RACP Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, the reason may be the information that is in the public domain.

"Only four percent of boys are circumcised, I think the reason is that parents make their own decisions based on available evidence of the benefits of circumcision," said a professor at SBS News.

But why?

Professor Colditz believes that apart from informed parents, the reason for the decline in the number of circumcised boys is due to the fact that this rate has decreased among adult men.

"The number of new fathers who themselves are not circumcised is growing, therefore, they do not see any benefit in this and it is unlikely that they will decide with the mother of the child to form their child."

“[They] strike a balance between potential benefit and harm, and I think our society as a whole is becoming more adept at making decisions.”

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Male circumcision: what is it and why is it necessary?

In the West, male circumcision, the removal of the foreskin, is very popular. It is made for boys at a very early age. Why this operation is needed and how it affects the body of a man, Yegor Kolyshnitsyn, a urologist-andrologist at the Alone Clinic, helped us figure it out.

- Egor Yurievich, what are the origins of the practice of circumcision?

- Circumcision - the removal of the foreskin (the tissue that covers the head of the penis) - originates from the times of ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia as a religious rite. Usually circumcision is performed on the first or second day after the birth of a boy, among Jews on the eighth day, and among Muslims at 7-10 years of age. The tradition of circumcision has not only religious and cultural, but also domestic justifications, and it is probably the latter that are the reason for the wide spread of the procedure in the countries of the south.

Men know perfectly well what it's like not to take a shower in the summer. Sweat, dirt accumulate under the foreskin, and the heat provokes the growth of bacteria. Due to the banal non-compliance with the rules of hygiene, the consequences for men's health can be devastating. During my practice, I have often had to treat men - fishermen, hunters, long-distance drivers - who, due to the lack of appropriate living conditions, cannot provide themselves with proper hygiene.

– Why is this procedure not as widespread in Russia as, for example, in America and southern countries?

- The American Academy of Pediatrics has concluded that there are more advantages to circumcision than disadvantages. Here are a few facts to back it up: Penile cancer is rare, but more common in uncircumcised men. Cervical cancer is more common among male partners with uncircumcised foreskins. Research by Australian scientists suggests that sexually transmitted diseases are more likely to occur in uncircumcised men. Gonorrhea and herpes - 2 times, and syphilis and fungal diseases - 5 times.
In Russia, the expediency of circumcision causes very heated discussions. Each organ has its own function. The foreskin is no exception. Its glands clean and moisturize the surface of the glans penis, their secretion reduces the possibility of bacteria breeding. The foreskin prevents injury and damage. In early childhood, it protects the head and external opening of the urethra from infection.

In my opinion, the value of circumcision cannot be overestimated. If a man leads a promiscuous sex life, does not follow the rules of personal hygiene and hopes that the circumcised foreskin will save him from dangerous ailments, he is deeply mistaken.
I take a very definite position here: circumcision surgery is advisable only for medical reasons.

– What are the medical indications?

- Firstly, this is phimosis, that is, the narrowing of the foreskin, as a result of which it becomes impossible to expose the glans penis. It can be either a birth defect or a complication after inflammatory processes. The next indication is chronic recurrent balanoposthitis - inflammation of the foreskin.