Circumcision Essay

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Infant circumcision is one of the most controversial bioethical issues during this time. On one hand some researchers try and justify the practice of circumcision with arguments of hygienic issues, ideology, parental rights, cultural identity, and freedom of religion. On the other hand some researchers argue that circumcision violates morality, making the point that an infant being circumcised is absolutely unable to give consent, calling circumcision a form of abuse. Circumcision is the surgical removal of the foreskin, the tissue covering the head (glans) of the penis. The practice of circumcision has been found to have been recorded as hieroglyphics. Religion is a huge factor for infant circumcision. The Jewish believe that all male infants are to be circumcised on the 8th day of life. Circumcision is such an important tradition to the Jewish religion that a circumcision can be performed on a …show more content…

To perform a circumcision on a full grown male takes longer, about 1- 1.5 hours versus the 10-15 minutes it takes to complete circumcision on an infant. The skin on the penis of an adult male is much thicker than that of an infant and requires sutures. (Schoen, 2005)
Health benefits of infant circumcision are, circumcision decreases the risk of urinary tract infections, reduces the risk or heterosexually acquired HIV infections in males, lowers the risk or penile cancer, lowers the risk of STDs, including a lowered risk of penile HPV in males, and cervical cancer in their female partners, chlamydia, pelvic inflammatory disease and infertility. Circumcision decreases the risk of balanopositis, and phimosis, and improves sexual function. (Houle,

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