Circumcision controversy by Intaction

Circumcision controversy by Intaction : 1893: In the Journal of the American Medical Association, Dr. J. A.Hofheimer claimed circumcision cured infant constipation. He then recommended circumcising babies before digestive issues appeared. “An early operation,” he wrote, “will relieve the child of a great source of irritation, and indirectly improve nutrition, changing a fretful, puny baby into a thriving, happy infant.” 1894: Dr. B. Merrill Ricketts wrote in the New York Medical Journal that he performed over 250 circumcisions to “cure” diseases such as hip-joint disease, tuberculosis, hernia, general nervousness, impotence, convulsions, and epilepsy.

The American Academy of Pediatrics doesn’t recommend routine circumcision of all newborns (though they do say that it’s medically necessary in some specific instances). When sorting through circumcision facts and myths, realize circumcision is not guaranteed to prevent any disease. Behavior and hygiene are always more important to health than circumcision. This American doctor group do not recommend circumcision, and all international medical societies do not recommend circumcision. Circumcision is extremely painful to the baby. This is definitely a disadvantage of circumcision. A study in Canada in 1997 set out to determine what anesthesia worked best in the prevention of pain, but the study was stopped midway through because they felt that the babies who were receiving no anesthesia (the control group) were in so much pain that it was unethical for the study to continue. Even in the United States where circumcision is most common, only 45% of doctors use anesthesia at all. There is no mandatory anesthesia or pain relief policy enforced in hospitals for this procedure. This is an important item to consider when discussing circumcision facts and myths.

Circumcision Overview: Circumcision is a surgical removal of the natural foreskin from the penis. The foreskin covers the head of the glans penis. This removal of the foreskin is one of the most common surgeries done to baby boys – in America. This hospital operation is typically done within one or two days after birth. Left undisturbed, that foreskin will grow into 15 square inches in the adult male. Therefore the decision to circumcise a baby is a serious consideration for parents to make. The procedure rates have been dropping in America. Most medical groups have stated there is no clear cut benefit, and the surgery is very painful to a baby. For many of the Jewish or Muslim faith, cutting and removal of the foreskin is an ancient religious act of faith, sacrifice, or covenant. Find even more information on circumcision.

The most comprehensive study available that assesses the psychological impact of circumcision on children after infancy was conducted by Ramos and Boyle (2000) and involved 1072 pre-adolescent and adolescent boys who were circumcised in a hospital setting. Using an adapted version of a clinically established PTSD interview rating scale, the study’s authors determined that 51 percent of these boys met the full diagnostic criteria for PTSD and noted that other variables such as age at circumcision (pre-adolescence versus adolescence) and time elapsed since the procedure (months versus years) were not predictive of a PTSD diagnosis (Ramos & Boyle, 2000). As a point of comparison, the rate of PTSD among veterans of the Iraq war is approximately 20 percent (NIH, 2009).

Intaction is the only intactivist organization with a large full time mobile education truck which not only displays our intact body positive campaign, but transports our exhibits and materials for the many events we host. Our past events have included disruptive protests, parade contingents, demonstrations, parental education events, and our celebratory event IMAGINE. We hold constant outdoor events with our mobile education unit to engage our fellow Americans. These exchanges provide a unique opportunity for us to keep a finger on the pulse of public opinion. We also use print media, social media, and online platforms to engage people with our ideas. We seek to give those that feel they have been harmed by circumcision the ability to contribute to the cessation of this abhorrent practice. Together we can forge a path to a better world for future intact generations. All are welcome to join with us. Discover additional information at https://intaction.org/.