Newborn Circumcision Debate Continues

Two new research reviews take opposite points of view on circumcision for baby boys. One review looks at three African studies. They found that men circumcised as adults were less likely to become infected with HIV than those not circumcised. The review says this is a good reason to circumcise baby boys. It was published in the Archives of Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine. But a study in the journal Annals of Family Medicine disagrees. The authors looked at eight previous studies. They said there’s little evidence of lower HIV risk with circumcision in places other than Africa. They also found little evidence of other health benefits. Circumcision can cause problems for some boys, the authors said. Psychological effects may include feeling incomplete or violated, they said. HealthDay News wrote about both studies January 11.