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How common is circumcision these days?

Answered 2 years ago

I know some people have strong views on this but I hope we can keep this polite and civilised.
I am due to have a boy in a couple of weeks and my husband is all for getting bub circumcised. I was of the impression that it's not that common like it used to be. But then I asked a few friends, and about thrèe of my friends that have boys, did get their boys circumcised, so maybe it's more common that I thought. I dunno if it's a regional thing? We are in Sydney.

  • I did / will / would circumcise my son

    22%
  • I didn't / won't / wouldn't circumcise my son

    78%

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ANSWER
2 years ago
I didn’t no it was still a thing. We chose not to do it

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2 years ago
It is, my ex partner tried to get our son cut. I wouldn’t approve of it and it’s caused a big issue. It doesn’t need to be done. I am against it 100%

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2 years ago
My two year old son has had repeated infections of his foreskin, and it has not been pleasant for him. One of the doctors we have seen about it has mentioned circumcision as an option, which we are now thinking we will do. Meanwhile, I am pregnant expecting another boy in January. After a lot of thought, we've decided that we'll have both boys circumcised. Our two year old may find it tough, but it will prevent any further infections further down the road. Meanwhile it will be easier on bubs if we have him circumcised as a baby, and then he'll never end up with the issues my two year old has had. I also think it will be better for both brothers to be the same.
On reflection, I kind of wished we had our two year old son done as a newborn. We did think about it at the time, but we never really got organised enough to do it. But it's actually quite easy to arrange.

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2 years ago
I would say it’s due to poor parenting. Both of my intact sons have been fine. They’ve had an intact father to help care for them.

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2 years ago
I will agree to this

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2 years ago
^^^ A small percentage of people will have problems with this issue, regardless of what they or the parents do. If it has been recommended by a medical practitioner there is usually a valid reason. A doctor that is treating the child would know more about the issue then your average dumb ass parent.

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2 years ago
It’s almost like doctors get paid a bonus for it. It’s wrong and you know it

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2 years ago
Most doctors don’t recommend it’s unless it’s needed. That’s exactly why it’s fallen out of fashion and percentages are low. If doctors got paid a bonus for it you’d still find it common.

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2 years ago
Im sorry but there is no way I would let anyone take a knife to my son. I’m loud and proud to say that he is uncircumcised. Yes his father is uncircumcised but so is everyone else I know. Circumcision is very rare/un heard of in my perspective. Foreskin family here please, I would hate to have someone circumcised in my family.

ANSWER
2 years ago
I got my little boy circumcised recently. We had him done at 3 weeks hes now 10 weeks, and all is fine now... just make sure to keep putting vasaline and gauze on at every change. After 24 hrs he can have a bath.. i bathed him everyday as it helps the plastibell to fall off. If you do get it done, it does look sore for a few days, but dont worry too much, after a week or so it will be totally fine. Looks perfect now.
I was nervous about doing it beforehand, but now I am really pleased we had him done.

ANSWER
2 years ago
I have just been through this situation. Like yourself I live in Sydney and I have been blessed with a perfect little boy. The father of my son is not in the picture. I turned to my mum for information and advise. I’m 26 and I have 2 older brothers which have both had sons. She’s informed me that my brothers and their sons are not circumcised which left me to believe that circumcision is not common. I left my son uncircumcised and haven’t encountered any issues or problems, I think it’s all blown out of proportion to lead people to believe that circumcision is the answer to everything. As others have said here the most common I personally have come across is uncircumcised and I highly prefer it that way.

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2 years ago
I work in childcare and it's alot more common than I thought and than I think it should be. I have some strong views and would never ever do it to my son. Unless medically necessary.

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2 years ago
That's an interesting observation. What was the rate of circumcision would you estimate? Someone else noted here I think that the rate seems to be higher than reported. Where do you live?

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2 years ago
I was born in the Brisbane area and now I have a young family. Throughout my younger years I had a mix of both but from memory uncircumcised was more common. As I seen in a previous comment I know that circumcision is not done within my family, (father and brothers). I have always thought that a full intact penis was more attractive. My husband is in his late 20s and is not circumcised

ANSWER
2 years ago
We are in WA and my husband (43yrs old) is circumcised. We have sons and they're not circumcised.
Husbands father and brother are also circumcised, must be a family tradition. I know from him that his gym friends are uncircumcised. I had a conversation about my husband being circumcised from one of his friends wives, she was asking about it as their son might need it doing for medical reasons. I couldn't say much as I've been with him for most of my adult life and only had a couple of previous flings in my teens. I like the clean look of his penis and have no complaints in the bedroom.

ANSWER
2 years ago
I didn’t know too much about this until I started dating my current partner. He is uncircumcised which I have mostly had but he has a son which is uncircumcised. The care and everything involved with having a young one with a foreskin is nothing. All I’ve been taught is to clean it like a finger. After this I really don’t see the need for circumcision at all. The more I talk about it the more I’m against it

ANSWER
2 years ago
Before I met my husband, I would say I was against circumcision. My husband is circumcised and my first ever experience of it. Now that I am more familiar with my husband's circumcision, I have to say I much prefer it. My husband says he thinks it's clean, comfortable and convenient being circumcised. While I don't have a penis, I can definitely appreciate what he means. And so after a lot of thought and discussion, we decided that when my son was born, we would have him snipped. My main reservations were to do with worrying about whether it would be painful, but after talking to other parents with experience of this, as well as the surgeon and nurse, I was reassured that it's not that bad for baby boys to go through. So I booked my son in and we had him circumcised when he was three weeks old. He handled it really well, and it healed nicely. It did look quite icky for a few days while it was healing, but that was only a few days. We're now a month on from the procedure and the circumcision is totally healed and looks very neat. I'm so happy it's done now, and it's nice that dad and son are the same. If we have any more sons, the plan is to continue down the route of being a foreskin-free family.

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2 years ago
I'm so glad your son's circumcision turned out well. Do you know which method was used?
I understand your preference for a circumcised guy. Once I'd experienced a few of both when I was younger, I was firmly in Camp Cut!
I find them so much nicer to look at because they're sleek, I love the silky smoothness and they just feel better in action. They just do it for me :-)

ANSWER
2 years ago
My partner is uncircumcised and 45yrs old & he can't last more than a few minutes because the head is so sensitive. If i had a son, now that I've experienced this - i would definitely have him circumcised. My partner would have had it done if he had the choice.

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2 years ago
It's not too late!
My other half had it done when he was an adult. He loves it. And so do I :-)
He is glad he had the choice though.

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2 years ago
My partner is also uncircumcised and is that age. For me though I like how sensitive the head is and we have left our sons intact.

ANSWER
3 years ago
I live in Mackay QLD and myself and my partner chose not to circumcise. I work work with a few young mothers and they also chose not to circumcise. My boyfriend is not circumcised and that played a part in why we chose not to. I personally prefer an uncircumcised partner and I would like to give my son/future sons a choice. I’ve heard stories about my boyfriends mates and from those stories they are also uncircumcised

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3 years ago
Does any one actually notice the difference? Apart from one having more skin to pull on.

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3 years ago
If you ask me it’s easier to handle an uncircumcised one

ANSWER
3 years ago
I have a 7 year old and used to live in Sydney and now in Newcastle. I regret not having my son circumcise when we were at the hospital. Now I have to wait when he will be ready and watch him in pain when his ready. There are health and hygiene advantage in boys being circumcised.
I'll do it now if I were you if you decide to go ahead.

ANSWER
3 years ago
I looked into circumcision but didn't end up having a boy.
For those considering it for your boys please do some research so you understand that there are different techniques that have different aesthetic and functional results.
After all, you are making a lifelong decision for your son and you want him to have a penis that looks good and performs well!
Depending on the method used, the scar will be further away from the head, more skin will be removed (dictating how much, if any, skin bunches up when flaccid and how tight the skin on the shaft it is when erect), and whether the frenulum, the band under the head, is removed.
The most popular method here in Australia seems to be the Plastibell, which involves a device being placed over the penis to tie off the foreskin, which drops off after a few days. In the US they tend to use the Gomco clamp, which takes the skin off straight away and results in a circumcision with the scar further down the shaft and the skin being tighter than the result from a Plastibell.
There are other methods used too.
But again, please do your research so that you get the result that you want and is best for your boy.

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REPLY
3 years ago
I never knew it got so technical!
If you had ended up having a boy, which method would you have gone for?

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3 years ago
I didn't realise either until I started to look! It was so confusing.
In the end hubby and I decided we wouldn't circumcised if it was a boy, even though he had it done through personal choice in his 20s. We didn't see there was any need and that our son could choose to if he wanted to.
However, if we'd had a boy and decided to circumcise, I think we would have tried to find someone who uses the Gomco clamp.
From what I read, Gomco results in what in my mind is a "classic" circumcision and like most that I came across in my younger, wilder days :-)
Sorry if this is TMI, but Gomco tends to result in a circumcision that leaves the skin on the shaft smooth and wrinkle-free when soft, with no bunching up behind the head, and tight skin when erect. Also, the scar is usually further away from the head, retaining more sensitive inner foreskin. And the frenulum under the head is taken off in most cases.
The Plastibell on the other hand tends to leave a bit of skin bunched up behind the head, looser skin when erect, the scar closer to the head and leaves the frenulum.
As I said in my last post, most parents wouldn't realise the differences in method and results when they ask for a circumcision.

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3 years ago
I agree, most parents don't look into this, and just assume that the end result is the same whatever the method.

ANSWER
3 years ago
I think the stats on circumcision are based on medicare rebates, and so the numbers are understated because not all parents who get their baby boys circumcised end up claiming the rebate, and so they don't get included in the stats.

Anecdotally, I think it is quite common at the moment. I find that a lot of people are scared to talk about it for fear of judgement, but when I bring the topic up with expectant mums that I know, (especially once they know that my own two boys are done), it turns out that quite a few of them are choosing to circumcise. I do think it is something that people research before doing it, though.

ANSWER
3 years ago
Depending on where you get your figures and where you live in Australia, it appears the rate is 10-20%.
I have a very strong preference for my men to be circumcised, but I still wouldn't have had it done to any of my sons. I don't see any reason at all.
I would have let them choose for themselves to be circumcised, like my DH did.
He says he far prefers to be circumcised but is glad he was given the choice (and I'm glad he chose to be!).

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3 years ago
Like you, I have a strong preference for men to be circumcised, and I chose to have my son done as well, figuring that there are benefits to being done, and most women prefer it, as far as I can tell. I felt it was kinder getting it done while my son was an infant when it is a small procedure that he was barely even aware of, rather than let him go through more of an ordeal when he is older.

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3 years ago
As a women I prefer a full uncircumcised man, my son is also uncircumcised. I have friends where they have kept their sons uncircumcised.

ANSWER
3 years ago
My 5 year old son was circumcised at three weeks old. I'm extremely happy with the decision, and if this next baby is a boy too, he will definitely be getting circumcised as well.

I'm not too sure if you can say what the 'norm' is. About 5 out of 8 boys in my mothers group with him had their little boys circumcised. It is also very easy to find a reputable surgeon in Newcastle and other parts of NSW who will perform the minor procedure.

Most surgeons use the plastibell method now which is simple, quick and relatively painless. My son required no pain relief after the procedure and certainly didn't cry every time he wee'd (although some might). It's a very simple process. They just tie a string around the penis where the plastic ring is, and the foreskin dies and drops off like the umbilical cord does, resulting in a nice neat circumcision. Bub is none the wiser.

I actually think that the father wanting his son to look the same as him is part of a valid argument.

It is certainly a very personal decision, and everyone's decision is the right one for their child.

ANSWER
3 years ago
Are the mothers who are getting their sons circumcised young? Just trying to think of an age group. My grandson is not circumcised as my daughter was told it is practised at all

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3 years ago
It’s not practised in public hospitals unless it’s needed for medical reasons. It’s practised privately but you will have to pay for it yourself. Parents aren’t going to pay for something that may or may not have slight health benefits which isn’t really needed.

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3 years ago
I'm 27 and just got my son circumcised two months ago. I always expected that any boys of mine would be done. I grew up with all the males in my family circumcised, and my husband is circumcised, so for me, it's just what I am used to.

ANSWER
3 years ago
Both of my boys are left intact, my hubby is also uncircumcised. I found that out of my ex partners majority of them were uncircumcised and most of my mum friends that have had boys are still uncircumcised. I believe it is a regional thing. I far more prefer an uncircumcised partner.

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3 years ago
Yes, it seems to be far more common in some parts than others. Where do you live?

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3 years ago
I am in northern QLD. From what my partner has told most to all of his friends are uncut. We’re both from the mid north coast of NSW

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3 years ago
That's interesting. I thought that NSW and Qld were strongholds of circumcision while Tassie and Vic in particular weren't big on it. But there you go :-)

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3 years ago
I live in Sydney, and I would say that about nearly half of my friends with boys have chosen to circumcise.
My son is also circumcised.

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3 years ago
I think it is a valid decision for parents to make on behalf of their sons. Whether it is as common as it used to be, there are health and hygiene advantages in boys being circumcised, and with anaesthetic and pain relief available, it is not especially uncomfortable for a boy to get circumcised. My son is circumcised, and I would get any future boys circumcised also.

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3 years ago
By the looks of the votes it’s pretty clear. Uncircumcised takes the win by far. My son is uncircumcised so one of those votes are mine

ANSWER
3 years ago
Pleased that multilation of our boys it becoming less common. Should only be done if medically necessary

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3 years ago
Seriously…get with the times.

ANSWER
3 years ago
I think a lot of people who are for circumcision keep quiet about it because thise who are against ivoice their opinuon strongly. So i think it's probably more common than what a lot of people think.

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3 years ago
Definitely becoming more common again, despite what the media might say. All four of our boys are circumcised. We did this for health reasons. I’d say about 60-70% of our friend’s have done the same.

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3 years ago
It's becoming.less commen but I still copped abuse from family for not doing it, but no medical or cultural reason, just 'its what we do'. Most friends & family did do it, so it's still done regularly. (DS is 9.)

My advice is talk to your doctor/OB/midwife etc. and read up on the pros & cons. Watch videos of it being done & decide for yourselves with all the info.

We decided not to after some confronting info from our doc on complications from a client who ignored advice & had it done & seeing it done on a news clip on 60 minutes about it a few days before DS was born. We decided we didn't have a compelling reason to do it so didn't. But you do what makes you comfortable. I still wonder if we did the right thing, so no judgement here!