2010-02-18 UPI.com - Health News: Circumcision safe in young, in right hands

[admin]

Circumcision safe in young, in the right hands
by Health News

Web Link: (http://www.upi.com/Health_News/2010/...4681266475046/)

LONDON, Feb. 18 (UPI) -- Neonatal and infant circumcision by trained staff rarely results in problems, but there are risks in older boys, a British review of studies found.

Dr. Helen Weiss of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine reviewed the medical literature relating to circumcision.

"We identified 52 studies from 21 countries which included sufficient information to estimate frequency of adverse events following neonatal, infant and child circumcision," Weiss said in a statement. "This forms a systematic review of the published literature on complications associated with the procedure at young ages."

The study, published in the journal BMC Urology, found that among infants less than 1-year-old, the frequency of relatively minor adverse events such as excessive bleeding, swelling and infection was low and severe complications were very rare.

Circumcisions by medical providers on children age 1 and older tended to be associated with more complications, but there were still few serious adverse events.

More complications, including severe complications, were seen when the procedure was undertaken by inexperienced providers, or with inadequate equipment and supplies.

[peterpink]

So far the comments are negative about the article. I wonder how the author of the study would feel if her genitals had been doctored?

[admin]

This analysis is ridiculous. A boy cut at a later age has some sort of health problem/defect that warranted surgical intervention. The infants cut routinely were otherwise well. "Sick people are sicker than well people" the headline should say.

[z726]

It's also ironic that they use the word "safe" in the title, while the article only describes instances when it's not.

Then again, I'd say the procedure is harmful by nature.

[Dasher]

Is death a "relatively minor adverse effect"?