Circumcision

According to the National Center for Health Statistics, approximately 64 percent of all newborn boys in the United States undergo circumcision. However, these numbers range depending on the part of the country you live in, as well as a host of other factors.

There are a host of reasons why parents may elect to have their son circumcised. Some of the most common reasons include:

• For religious reasons
• Some choose to have their sons circumcised because other men in the family are circumcised
• Some choose to have their sons circumcised because they believe it will make the penis easier to clean
• In some cases, circumcision may lower a male’s chance of getting urinary tract infections (UTIs)

While it is true that circumcised infants are not as likely to develop UTIs, less than 1 percent of uncircumcised men have to deal with a UTI during their lifetime. It should also be noted that circumcision can be performed at any age, although the procedure is most commonly done within the first month of the child’s life.