Lastest Medical Update on Circumcision :

March 11, 2007

Circumcision - Tough Choice for New Parents

Extensive research published in the Lancet reports that male circumcision cuts the risk of HIV/AIDS infection in half. Trials conducted in Africa found that uncircumcised males were twice as likely to catch the virus as males who had been circumcised. The foreskin of the penis has a very thin lining that easily suffers abrasions during intercourse, making it easier for the virus to gain access to the body.

Critics point out that the research was conducted in Kenya and Uganda, both countries where males resist using condoms for cultural reasons. Also, males there tend to have more partners than males in industrialised nations. Because of these conditions, critics feel the findings were skewed. They also point out that, by the time a baby who is circumcised now reaches adulthood, there will likely be a vaccine for HIV. Many people feel that circumcision is genital mutilation, and studies show that males who are circumcised as infants have a lower pain-threshold as adults. So, the decision for new parents is a difficult one.

Whether or not males are circumcised, they should continue to use condoms.
Source: Medical Post / Toronto Star