The male infant circumcision debate has been around for some time but in recent years it has caused division among many parents. The Intactivsts who are anti-circumcision have many blogs and articles that spread untruthful information about infant male circumcision, they would have you believe that it is a barbaric practice with no health benefits. So today I have compiled a list of the most common myths Intactivsts use which includes scare tactics. 

They are very convincing and manage to fool many, those who become victims of their lies spread the same misinformation without doing their own research. 

Myth: Infant circumcision causes the death of about 117 baby boys per year.

Fact: The AAP one of the most influential organization’s in the world does not consider death as a possible risk of male infant circumcision. The only document claiming to show a significant incident of death is a single source study, not recognized by the AAP.

Furthermore male infant circumcision is no different than a cut on the back of your hand, no major blood vessels have been severed. So it would be unlikely that death would occur due to significant bleeding.  It would be more likely if the infant had a pre-existing illness. Also the 2010 study that is claiming infant deaths due to circumcision is not backed by any organization, in order for it to be a true scientific study it has to be a multi-source study!

Myth: No health organization in the world recommends infant male circumcision.

Fact: The AAP states “The benefits outweigh the risks”

“furthermore, the benefits of newborn male circumcision justify access to this procedure for families who choose it.” While not directly stating it is a recommended procedure, they state both the benefits and risks and leave it to the parents to decide what is best. They also state that the benefits are significant enough to recommend that insurance cover the procedure.

 Myth: There are 20,000 nerve endings in the male foreskin making it the most sensitive part of the male genitals. When the foreskin is removed the male experiences loss of sexual sensitivity.

Fact: You will find that both the AAP and the WHO confirms this as being not reliable and only anecdotal.

Moses and Bailey (1998) describe the evidence of sensory function as "indirect," and state that, "aside from anecdotal reports, it has not been demonstrated that this is associated with increased male sexual pleasure."

The World Health Organization (2007) states that "Although it has been argued that sexual function may diminish following circumcision due to the removal of the nerve endings in the foreskin and subsequent thickening of the epithelia of the glans, there is little evidence for this and studies are inconsistent. Fink et al. (2002) reported "although many have speculated about the effect of a foreskin on sexual function, the current state of knowledge is based on anecdote rather than scientific evidence. Masood et al. (2005) state that "currently no consensus exists about the role of the foreskin. Schoen (2007) states that "anecdotally, some have claimed that the foreskin is important for normal sexual activity and improves sexual sensitivity. Objective published studies over the past decade have shown no substantial difference in sexual function between circumcised and uncircumcised men.

Intactivsts known as those who are against male infant circumcision are very convincing, they will make up lies and even stretch the truth to convince others that the foreskin is a very sexually sensitive piece of skin. The foreskin is not an erogenous tissue, the whole 20,000 nerve ending is a complete lie, no one seems to know where these numbers came from but you will see it all on intactivsts websites/blogs ect...Let me explain below.

Intactivists would have you believe that circumcision takes away the most sensitive part of the penis which they believe to be the foreskin. At first glance we know this to be false, why? The foreskin protects the glans, which would indicate that since it is meant to be a protective sheath and shield the more sensitive region of the glans, it is obvious that the foreskin is much less sensitive and hence contains much fewer nerve endings! It does not make sense that something so sensitive would be on the outside if it supposed to protect the glans, it is the glans that is most sensitive so the outer layer is just a protective sheath.

Look at it this way...The eyelids protect the eyes but if you were to cut off the eyelids your not cutting the nerve endings that effects the eyes your only cutting along a thin margin of the flap of skin which is much less sensitive.

The glans: Also called the head of the penis, the glans contains a large number of nerve endings, making it the most sensitive part of the penis. 

Myth: Infant Male Circumcision is the same as Female genital mutilation.

Fact: There are no known health benefits to the barbaric practice of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) In fact there are serious and possibly fatal health risks. The sole purpose for FGM no matter where it takes place is to exert control and dominance over women starting at birth. Intactivists continually try to compare male circumcision to FGM when clearly there is no comparison. Routine male Infant Circumcision does not compromise any major blood vessels. Conversely, FGM compromises major blood vessels in all types of FGM. The most common FGM removes the clitoral hood and part or all of the clitoris, simply removing the clitoral hood alone is very rare.

The Word Health Organization (WHO) classifies FGM into 4 categories Type I through IV. Type I&II according to the WHO “Type I is subdivided into two. Type I is the removal of the clitoral hood, which is rarely, if ever, performed alone, more common is Type II (clitoridectomy), the partial or total removal of the clitoris.”

Type III “(infibulation) is the removal of all external genitalia and the fusing of the wound, leaving a small hole (2–3 mm) for the passage of urine and menstrual blood. The inner and outer labia are cut away, with or without excision of the clitoris. A pinhole is created by inserting something into the wound before it closes, such as a twig or rock salt. The wound is sutured, using surgical thread, agave or acacia thorns, and the girl's legs are tied from hip to ankle for a period, perhaps 2–6 weeks, until the tissue has bonded, forming a wall of flesh and skin across the vulva.”

Type IV A variety of other procedures are collectively known as Type IV, which the WHO defines as "all other harmful procedures to the female genitalia for non-medical purposes, for example, pricking, piercing, incising, scraping and cauterization. “ Type IV ranges from “ritual nicking of the clitoris to stretching the labia or clitoris, burning or scarring the genitals, or introducing harmful substances into the vagina to tighten it.”

Now that we took a look at the barbaric practice of FGM and the health complications let’s take a look at routine male circumcision. Infant male circumcision is the removal of the foreskin, the fold of loose skin sheathing the glans of the penis. This is usually routinely done within the first days of birth.  The procedure consists of a generally 1-2 mm thick cut over the circumference of the penile shaft. In an infant this would account for a surface area cut of between 7-10 mm.

In order to compare FGM and infant male circumcision the whole glands of the penis would need to be removed to equal the severity of even a category 2 FGM.

The common excuse intactivsts use is that women get more infections than men. Its like comparing apples to oranges because the assorted infections women contend with are cervical or vaginal. The clitoral hood does not promote or inhibit infections.  

So while we know the male foreskin is a protective sheath used to protect the glans, it is also well known that it can be problematic with risks of infections and a harbor for bacteria ect.

Male Infant Circumcision Benefits:

Medical benefits, including:

• A markedly lower risk of acquiring HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. 

• A significantly lower risk of acquiring a number of other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including genital herpes (HSV), human papilloma virus (HPV), and syphilis.

• A slightly lower risk of urinary tract infections (UTIs). A circumcised infant boy has about a 1 in 1,000 chance of developing a UTI in the first year of life; an uncircumcised infant boy has about a 1 in 100 chance of developing a UTI in the first year of life.

• A lower risk of getting cancer of the penis. However, this type of cancer is very rare in all males.

• Prevention of foreskin infections as the foreskin can be a harbor for bacteria.

• Prevention of phimosis, a condition in uncircumcised males that makes foreskin retraction impossible.

• Easier genital hygiene.

Risks: 

Complications are rare and usually minor but may include:

• Bleeding

• Infection if not cared for properly after the procedure

• Cutting the foreskin too short or too long

Circumcision from the AAP

The nation's most influential pediatricians group says the health benefits of circumcision in newborn boys outweigh any risks and that insurance should cover it.

From the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)

“Male circumcision consists of the surgical removal of some, or all, of the foreskin (or prepuce) from the penis. It is one of the most common procedures in the world. In the United States, the procedure is commonly performed during the newborn period. In 2007, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) convened a multidisciplinary workgroup of AAP members and other stakeholders to evaluate the evidence regarding male circumcision and update the AAP’s 1999 recommendations in this area. The Task Force included AAP representatives from specialty areas as well as members of the AAP Board of Directors and liaisons representing the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Task Force members identified selected topics relevant to male circumcision and conducted a critical review of peer-reviewed literature by using the American Heart Association’s template for evidence evaluation.

Evaluation of current evidence indicates that the health benefits of newborn male circumcision outweigh the risks; furthermore, the benefits of newborn male circumcision justify access to this procedure for families who choose it. Specific benefits from male circumcision were identified for the prevention of urinary tract infections, acquisition of HIV, transmission of some sexually transmitted infections, and penile cancer. Male circumcision does not appear to adversely affect penile sexual function/sensitivity or sexual satisfaction. It is imperative that those providing circumcision are adequately trained and that both sterile techniques and effective pain management are used. Significant acute complications are rare. In general, untrained providers who perform circumcisions have more complications than well-trained providers who perform the procedure, regardless of whether the former are physicians, nurses, or traditional religious providers.

Parents are entitled to factually correct, nonbiased information about circumcision and should receive this information from clinicians before conception or early in pregnancy, which is when parents typically make circumcision decisions. Parents should determine what is in the best interest of their child. Physicians who counsel families about this decision should provide assistance by explaining the potential benefits and risks and ensuring that parents understand that circumcision is an elective procedure. 

The Task Force strongly recommends the creation, revision, and enhancement of educational materials to assist parents of male infants with the care of circumcised and uncircumcised penises. The Task Force also strongly recommends the development of educational materials for providers to enhance practitioners’ competency in discussing circumcision’s benefits and risks with parents.

The Task Force made the following recommendations:

Evaluation of current evidence indicates that the health benefits of newborn male circumcision outweigh the risks, and the benefits of newborn male circumcision justify access to this procedure for those families who choose it.

Parents are entitled to factually correct, nonbiased information about circumcision that should be provided before conception and early in pregnancy, when parents are most likely to be weighing the option of circumcision of a male child.

Physicians counseling families about elective male circumcision should assist parents by explaining, in a nonbiased manner, the potential benefits and risks and by ensuring that they understand the elective nature of the procedure.

Parents should weigh the health benefits and risks in light of their own religious, cultural, and personal preferences, as the medical benefits alone may not outweigh these other considerations for individual families.

Parents of newborn boys should be instructed in the care of the penis, regardless of whether the newborn has been circumcised or not.

Elective circumcision should be performed only if the infant’s condition is stable and healthy.

Male circumcision should be performed by trained and competent practitioners, by using sterile techniques and effective pain management.

Analgesia is safe and effective in reducing the procedural pain associated with newborn circumcision; thus, adequate analgesia should be provided whenever newborn circumcision is performed.

Nonpharmacologic techniques (eg, positioning, sucrose pacifiers) alone are insufficient to prevent procedural and postprocedural pain and are not recommended as the sole method of analgesia. They should be used only as analgesic adjuncts to improve infant comfort during circumcision.

If used, topical creams may cause a higher incidence of skin irritation in low birth weight infants, compared with infants of normal weight; penile nerve block techniques should therefore be chosen for this group of newborns.”

 For more information follow the link http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/130/3/e756.full?sid=bd9574fb-4575-4d35-a46e-a63394e68331