4 Reasons to Consider Circumcising Your Infant

Circumcision is a personal decision for parents that may also carry cultural or religious significance. While opinions on the topic vary, there are some potential benefits to consider when deciding whether circumcision is the right choice for your infant. 

Read on as our team of board-certified urologists at Bellingham Urology Group highlights four reasons to consider circumcision for your infant son.

1. Health benefits 

According to research published in the journal Cureus, health benefits were cited as the No. 1  reason why parents sought circumcision for their infants. 

Circumcision provides several health benefits and can reduce the risk of certain medical conditions, such as:

Urinary tract infections

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are more common in uncircumcised infants. This benefit is particularly important if your son is diagnosed with antenatal hydronephrosis. This condition is often detected during routine prenatal ultrasounds and happens if your baby’s kidneys are swollen with fluid buildup. 

Studies show that boys with antenatal hydronephrosis are particularly prone to UTIs. Circumcision can take their risk from over 18% down to 4.9%.

Sexually transmitted diseases 

Uncircumcised males may be at risk for sexually transmitted infections if pathogens enter through the inner surface of the foreskin. Circumcision can help reduce these risks. For example, circumcision can reduce your baby’s lifetime risk of developing HIV infection by as much as 60%. 

Inflammation and other infections

Research shows that circumcision can help prevent certain infections, such as balanitis.  Balanitis is an infection (either viral, fungal, parasitic, or bacterial) that leads to a swollen glans (the head of the penis), foul odor, and discolored patches on the penis. It’s most common in men with diabetes who are uncircumcised.

Issues with foreskin

Uncircumcised males, particularly infants, are at risk for phimosis, a condition in which the foreskin can’t retract. This is somewhat common in infants and can resolve itself as the foreskin loosens. 

However, adult males can develop phimosis — especially pathologic (congenital) phimosis — if infections, scarring, or inflammation prevent the foreskin from retracting. 

2. Easier hygiene

Circumcision can make it easier to maintain cleanliness simply because it eliminates the need to clean beneath the foreskin. 

While proper hygiene is achievable without circumcision, parents who choose circumcision often cite this reason for simplifying care during infancy and childhood.

3. Reduced risk of certain cancers

Circumcision can lower your son’s risk of penile cancer.  While these risks are low overall, circumcision provides a preventive measure that some families find reassuring.

4. Cultural or religious considerations 

For many families, circumcision is an important cultural or religious tradition that connects them to their heritage. 

In the Cureus article mentioned earlier, survey respondents indicated that the No. 2 reason for considering circumcision was familial considerations and that the father was also circumcised. 

You might consider circumcision for your infant to align with the family, cultural, or religious traditions and values you hold sacred.

What to expect from infant circumcision

Here at Bellingham Urology Group, our team performs in-office circumcisions — at both our Bellingham and Mount Vernon, Washington, locations — for babies 2 months old and younger. 

Before starting your baby’s circumcision, our team first administers a local anesthetic and an oral analgesic. Once your baby is comfortable with the anesthetic and analgesic, we remove the foreskin — the whole procedure takes just a few minutes. 

After your son’s circumcision, keep your baby’s penis clean and apply a thick layer of petroleum jelly at each diaper change. This barrier keeps urine and the diaper from irritating your’s baby skin as it heals. 

If you have questions about infant circumcision or would like to schedule one for your infant, call us to speak with our friendly team. You can also use our online form to book an appointment.