Circumcision is a contentious issue in our country, and many people shy away from discussing it for fear of offending anyone who is circumcised, circumcised their child, or who is planning to circumcise their child.
This procedure is painful and has serious repercussions for males, and avoiding providing education and information on this important topic does a disservice to people who want to make informed choices about their child’s health, and a disservice to babies who don’t get to choose what happens to their bodies.
Routine circumcision is still not recommended by the Canadian Pediatric Society , and hasn’t been for at least 19 years. Unfortunately, a lot of people still don’t know this. Circumcision is definitely becoming less and less common and the majority of babies are being left intact here in Canada, but there’s still a long way to go. 32% of infant males are still undergoing this medically unnecessary procedure that has serious risks and implications for male health.
Excerpts from a recent article from CTV News on the topic. “Canadian Paediatric Societiy Reaffirms Position Against Routine CIrcumcision”:
The Canadian Paediatric Society has released an updated statement re-affirming its position against routine circumcision for newborn males.
The society said recent evidence about the potential health benefits associated with circumcision prompted them to undergo a review of the current medical research. Its last position statement on the matter was published in 1996.
While medical literature has pointed to potential health benefits of circumcision, including the prevention of urinary tract infections and some sexually transmitted infections, the benefits generally don’t outweigh the risks.
Circumcision has become a contentious issue in Canada, as it raises ethical and legal considerations, in part “because it has lifelong consequences and is performed on a child who cannot give consent,” the statement said.
While circumcision used to be quite popular in Canada starting in the 1950s, rates have declined over the past decades to the current average of 32 per cent, CPS said.
For more information, visit the circumcision category on this blog.