Circumcision-will removal of the foreskin affect sexual pleasure?

To Circumcise or Not to Circumcise-Will removal of the foreskin affect sexual pleasure?

Is circumcision really necessary? Does circumcision reduce the risk of disease? Does circumcision desensitize the penis? Those questions have been part of the circumcision debate for generations.

That debate involves individuals, parents as well as member of the medical and scientific communities. There was a time when a circumcision procedure was an almost exclusively religious rite. But times have changed. Today, about 1.2 million newborn males are circumcised nationwide each year.

Circumcision is the surgical removal of a portion of foreskin at the tip of the penis. The procedure is usually performed on male infants within days of birth. The practice has gained widespread popularity in the United States and, according to the National Center for Health Statistics, nearly 65 percent of newborn males are circumcised by an obstetrician, medical probefssional or skilled member of a religious group.

Does circumcision reduce the risk for disease? The notion that circumcision improves hygiene and the likelihood of infections has some merit, but there is not enough medical evidence to warrant a recommendation to circumcise for that reason.

The American Academy of Pediatrics

In fact, from the American Academy of Pediatrics' circumcision "recommendation" is to not make a recommendation _ but to urge medical professionals to provide parents with information about the pros and cons of circumcision and let them decide.

That said, eyebrows have been raised upon the release of recent data compiled by Ugandan studies indicating that circumcised males may be at lower risk of HIV infection than uncircumcised males.The United States Agency for International Development states that "male circumcision is a principal determinant of the large disparities in HIV prevalence across different African regions."

The agency's multi-site study found that the prevalence of HIV in nations where most men are circumcised "remains low despite other HIV risk factors."

Additionally, the studies suggest that circumcised males have a reduced risk of contracting other sexually transmitted infections, urinary tract infections and penile cancer.

Reports of decreased penis sensitivity in circumcised males, when compared to sensations experienced in uncircumcised males have also been difficult to confirm.

A Masters and Johnson study, however, reported that there is no difference in sensitivity.

So, what is the answer to the great circumcision debate? It's a personal choice ... and perhaps, unfortunately, the debate rages on.

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MyHealthyPenis cautions lovers to remember that exchanging body fluid is the way to contract AIDS and other sexually-transmitted diseases.

And if you have gum or mouth sores you are at greater risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases should you participate in oral sex.

. MyHealthyPenis.com joins the Center for Disease Control in strongly recommending safe sex and condom use. If you have questions or concerns about safe sex, call the toll free Center for Disease Control National STD/AIDS Hotline.

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