Ask a Doctor

Dr. Maureen P. Kollar
Pediatrician
Hand in Hand Pediatrics, Inc.
6051 Memorial Dr.
Dublin, Ohio 43017
Phone (614) 799-6044

Q: Should baby boys be circumcised?  

A: Medically speaking, there is no strong evidence that circumcision is a necessary procedure.  In the past there has been some thinking that uncircumcised males had an increased risk of urinary tract infections (UTI).  However, the rate of UTI’s in males is less than 1%, hardly enough to warrant circumcision. The risk of spreading sexually transmitted diseases is thought to occur more in the uncircumcised male and their partners, but this is more a theory than a proven fact. 

It is very easy to care for the uncircumcised penis.  You don’t have to do anything other than cleanse the area.  The foreskin does not pull back until many years after infancy. 

If your child is not nursing well, it is best to hold off the circumcision until the infant has learned to attach to the breast first.

For the most part, the decision to circumcise or not is more an ethnic consideration.  There are some cultures that do not circumcise.  Presently in the central Ohio area, circumcision is still widely practiced. 

Often, parents refer to older relatives or friends that have had problems being uncircumcised, and may decide that circumcision is necessary. 

You should always discuss your decision with your partner prior to the baby’s birth.  It is too hard to make such a decision right after the birth as too many other things are going through your mind and clear thinking is difficult.