Why circumcision? : A guide to Circumcision

This section discusses the reasons for having circumcision, e.g. religion, and asks you to weigh up the pros and cons of doing so. It is important to do this before signing a consent form for surgery.

Consider these: is circumcision really necessary or is there an alternative form of treatment? Will your son benefit from this procedure? Can it prevent penile cancer, HIV and sexually transmitted diseases?

We are not here to dissuade you from having circumcision. What we are doing is to present you with the reasons for having circumcision plus the arguments for and against. It is still considered a controversial subject especially when you consider the religious and cultural background which we talk about in this guide.

This section of the guide applies to men who are thinking of becoming circumcised or parents of boys who are about to undergo circumcision. If you fall into either of these two categories then we hope you find this section thought-provoking and helpful.

It contains the following sub-sections:

• Medical reasons
• Cultural/religious reasons
• Preventative reasons
• Circumcise or not to circumcise?
• Female circumcision

The medical reasons sub-section contains information about five medical conditions which can be treated with circumcision.

The cultural/religious reasons sub-section discusses these in greater detail.

The preventative reasons sub-section looks at how circumcision is used as a means of preventing disease such as penile cancer.

The arguments for and against circumcision are discussed in more detail in circumcise or not to circumcise?

Even though this guide is about male circumcision we have included a short section on female circumcision. This is an emotionally challenging subject to deal with but nevertheless, it is still prevalent in certain areas of the world. Find out more in this section.