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Circumcision Benefits Outweigh Harm

August 30th, 2012

The American Academy of Pediatrics has updated its policy regarding circumcision this week.   That policy states that the medical benefits of circumcision outweigh harms.   The medical benefits include the following: 1) a lower risk of urinary tract infection for boys under 1 year of age 2) reduced sexually transmitted infections and penile cancer later in life.  The AAP stops short of recommending routine circumcision, and state that the decision is best left to parents. 

Dr. Miller comment: This is a big change from the previous AAP policy and should reassure parents that there are some small but statistically significant medical benefits for this procedure.   Parents were sometimes given well intentioned, direct or subtle information that circumcision was of no benefit and perhaps even contraindicated.  We support parents to make their own choice.  Now we can move beyond concerns for harm and let parents choose based on evidence to be added to their own personal choice.