Pros & Cons of Infant Circumcision

Q. My wife and I are expecting the birth of our son in January. What are your views on circumcision?

A. As a urologist, I can tell you there are mixed views regarding circumcision. Data from third-world countries, where boys are not circumcised, has shown a higher incidence of penile cancer. This appears to be linked to poor hygiene and possibly an as-yet-unidentified infectious agent. However, studies conducted in this country in the 1970s and 1980s have shown that with proper hygiene, there is no increased risk of cancer for uncircumcised men.