Non-Therapeutic Circumcision of Boys: Medical, Sociocultural and Ethical View

Abstract

There is no medical or ethical consensus over the necessity and the ethical statue of nontherapeutic circumcision of boys. From the medical aspect, there are some potential medical benefits like decreased UTI contracture and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). transmission rates. However, it is an intervention to the child’s bodily integrity and has some surgical complications like bleeding, pain, postoperative infection and inadequate skin removal. Complication rates are low when the surgery is done according to medical standards. When considering the ethical aspects of circumcision, the most important question to be asked is ‘What is the best interest of the child?’ In order to answer this question, all medical, cultural and psychosocial aspects of the circumcision need to be evaluated. It is an important part of sociocultural life especially in Islamic and Jewish societies. Therefore, it is necessary for the child to be integrated to society and to socialize in that environment. Since it is not a fact whether the medical benefits outweigh the risk or vice versa, the right of the parents to raise a child according to their sociocultural and religious beliefs and the right of the child to be a part of the society should not be eliminated.