Lack of circumcision:
- Is responsible for a 12-fold higher risk of urinary tract infections. Risk = 1 in 20.
- Confers a higher risk of death in the first year of life (from complications of urinary tract infections: viz. kidney failure, meningitis and infection of bone marrow).
- One in ~400-900 uncircumcised men will get cancer of the penis.
A quarter of these will die from it and the rest will require at least partial penile amputation as a result.
(In contrast, invasive penile cancer never occurs or is infinitesimally rare in men circumcised at birth.)
(Data from studies in the USA, Denmark and Australia, which are not to be confused with the often quoted, but misleading, annual incidence figures of 1 in 100,000).
- Is associated with balanitis (inflammation of the glans), posthitis (inflammation of the foreskin), phimosis (inability to retract the foreskin) and paraphimosis (constriction of the penis by a tight foreskin).
Up to 18% of uncircumcised boys will develop one of these by 8 years of age, whereas all are unknown in the circumcised.
Risk of balanoposthitis = 1 in 6. Obstruction to urine flow = 1 in 10-50.
- Means increased risk of problems that may necessitate circumcision later in life.
Also, the cost can be 10 times higher for an adult.
- Is the biggest risk factor for heterosexually-acquired AIDS virus infection in men.
8-times higher risk by itself, and even higher when lesions from STIs are added in.
Risk per exposure = 1 in 300.
- In the female partners of uncircumcised men is associated with higher incidence of cervical cancer, pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility from blockage of fallopian tubes, extopic pregnancy, genital herpes, and other conditions.
Getting circumcised will result in:
- Having to go through a very minor surgical procedure that carries with it small risks.
- Improved hygiene.
- Much lower risk of urinary tract infections.
- Much lower chance of acquiring AIDS heterosexually.
- Virtually complete elimination of the risk of invasive penile cancer.
- More favourable hygiene for the man’s sexual partner.
- More favorable sexual function.
- A penis that is regarded by most as being more attractive.
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