Should infants be circumcised?

This is an automatically translated article.

The article is professionally consulted Master, Doctor Phan Ngoc Hai - Department of Pediatrics - Neonatology - Vinmec Danang International General Hospital. Dr. Hai used to work at the Neonatology Department of Da Nang Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital and Hoan My Da Nang Hospital. His strength is in general pediatric examination and treatment, neonatal examination and treatment, pediatric resuscitation.
Circumcision is the surgical removal of the skin covering the head of the penis, called the foreskin. Newborn circumcision is one of the optional indications for the case of narrowing of the foreskin in children, and it also leaves many dangerous complications, so parents need to consider carefully before when deciding to proceed with this procedure.

1. What is neonatal foreskin stenosis?

Foreskin stenosis in children is a condition in which the foreskin on the penis is stuck, tightened and cannot be pulled down, or is also defined as the inability of the foreskin of the penis to come out of the penis. head. It is one of the most common medical conditions in boys, with an estimated 96% of boys being born with a foreskin stenosis.
Foreskin stenosis in children is divided into 2 types:
Physiological stenosis: The vast majority of foreskin stenosis cases in newborns are caused by the natural adhesions of the foreskin. and foreskin to protect the glans as well as the urinary opening of the baby at birth. As they grow older, the ability to narrow the foreskin in children will gradually decrease and the foreskin will gradually slide out of the glans. However, there are also cases of 16-year-old children with foreskin attached and unable to retract the foreskin, but only about 1%.
Pathological stenosis: accounted for less than 16% of the foreskin stenosis in newborns, the reason is that after the infection causes fibrous scarring, the baby is attached to the foreskin. In these cases of pathological foreskin stenosis, medical treatment cannot be applied.

2. How to recognize foreskin stenosis in newborns

Symptoms of neonatal stenosis include:
The foreskin does not retract. When urinating, the foreskin of the baby bulges like a balloon, making it difficult for the baby to urinate, straining when urinating, feeling pain and crying. The penis is itchy, red, and swollen. The tip of the penis appears pus, abnormal discharge. Persistent fever of unknown cause. For children under 2 years of age and with physiological foreskin stenosis, there is no need for infant circumcision during treatment, but only need to go to a medical facility for guidance by doctors. Clean the foreskin properly and gently remove the foreskin at home. Some cases of foreskin is too tight, will be indicated foreskin dilatation.

3. When is newborn circumcised?

Newborn circumcision is indicated for the following cases:
Pathological narrowing of the foreskin. Severe inflammation of the foreskin, recurrent balanitis or treatment failure. The foreskin is blocked and cannot be pulled up. Circumcision of the foreskin leads to recurrent urinary tract infections. Circumcision of the baby is only done when the baby is completely healthy and has a good health condition. Most older children (over 3 years of age) with fibrous or overly tight foreskin for which circumcision cannot be performed will be circumcised.
Moist fluid is the fluid between the foreskin and the foreskin that has a natural dissection effect to help pull the foreskin back up. In the moist fluid, the epithelial cells of the foreskin peel off, forming white patches containing dead cells and are easy to clean when the foreskin is pulled down. Therefore, when we are circumcised, this substance will be washed easily and does not cause infection and bad smell.
In addition, circumcised children have fewer urinary tract infections than uncircumcised children, and moreover, this method also helps prevent penile cancer in men. Some studies also suggest that newborn circumcision reduces the likelihood of contracting the HIV virus, thereby reducing the risk of HIV transmission and other sexually transmitted diseases.

4. Newborn circumcision steps

Newborn circumcision is performed in the following ways:
Anesthetize the baby to relieve pain during surgery. Clean the penis and foreskin. Specialized clamps are attached to the penis. Cut off the foreskin. Dress the wound, apply wax to prevent the penis from rubbing against the baby's diaper. Child circumcision is an elective method. Parents can choose or not choose this method to apply on the child. The reason that parents choose to be circumcised can also be religious, for example, Muslims and Jews have always chosen to circumcise their babies for centuries. On the contrary, some parents do not believe in this method for fear of complications such as bleeding of the foreskin, infection of the incision, leaving bad scars...

5. Child care after circumcision

Mild soap and water must be used to clean the fecal matter on the penis. Change diapers often for babies because urine and feces in the diaper for a long time can cause infections. Pay attention to conditions such as prolonged redness, swelling, unusual turbid discharge and the formation of a hard scab on the surface of the penis to promptly take the child to a medical facility. After newborn circumcision, there will be a waxy bandage placed on the tip of the penis and easy to fall off when the baby goes to the toilet, so pay attention to this to help the wound heal faster. When there are signs of narrowing of the foreskin in a child, parents need to take the child to a medical facility to be diagnosed with a medical condition or not, from which to have appropriate treatment. Circumcision for a child depends on the degree of foreskin narrowing, and most importantly, needs the consent of the child's family to be able to proceed.
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Gathering a team of top doctors and nurses in Pediatrics : consists of leading experts with high professional qualifications (professors, associate professors, doctorates, masters), experienced, worked at major hospitals such as Bach Mai, 108.. Doctors All doctors are well-trained, professional, conscientious, knowledgeable about young psychology. In addition to domestic pediatric specialists, the Department of Pediatrics also has the participation of foreign experts (Japan, Singapore, Australia, USA) who are always pioneers in applying the latest and most effective treatment regimens. . Comprehensive services: In the field of Pediatrics, Vinmec provides a series of continuous medical examination and treatment services from Newborn to Pediatric and Vaccine,... according to international standards to help parents take care of their baby's health from birth to childhood. from birth to adulthood Specialized techniques: Vinmec has successfully deployed many specialized techniques to make the treatment of difficult diseases in Pediatrics more effective: neurosurgery - skull surgery, stem cell transplantation. blood in cancer treatment. Professional care: In addition to understanding children's psychology, Vinmec also pays special attention to the children's play space, helping them to have fun and get used to the hospital's environment, cooperate in treatment, improve the efficiency of medical treatment. To register for examination and treatment with Pediatricians at Vinmec International General Hospital, please click the "Contact Us" button on the website or register online HERE.

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