Circumcision in the USA - why so popular? Advice needed please

[Nip]

I have a friend in the US that is expecting and is currently considering if her lo would be circumcised or not.
She is getting grief of her mother but isnt sure that she wants it done.

Why are the American's so for this, yet in the UK its rare (but for medical reasons)?

I'd really like some info to help her.

This is a hot topic on MN.

I never cease to be horrified that people do this. I don't know what business it could possibly be of her mother's.

I won't go into full rant mode as I have to do the school run and I don't want to stress myself out.

Isn't it just 'what's done' in America? It used to be more common here, but as medical opinion has declared it unnecessary, it has become outdated.
There are lost of websites explaining why it is unnecessary and even potentially harmful.

oh crap - i didnt realise this was a debatable topic,

ok, let me ask that this doesnt get all shouty - i just want to help my friend with some advice please.

Nip there are (or certainly used to be) some very knowlegable people on this topic. Keep it bumped after the school run and you may find some more useful posts then.

I'm American. It is considered preventative medicine. It is cleaner and threfore prevents possible infection.

However, the tide is turning in the states, and there is certainly a school of thought that doesn't support. I know people on both sides of the debate. I have friend who would never have it done, and I have friends who would never not have it done.

I am trying to give you a very matter of fact point of view. This is likely to be very heated. So, hopefully, I haven't just kicked it off.

www.circumcision.org
www.mothersagainstcirc.org

Is a big angry topic at times. These are a couple of anti websites that may provide useful information for your friend when talking to her mother.

Personally, I could not imagine getting my baby boy circumcised. But am fortunate in that respect because am in UK and have no religious reason to do so.

Obviously if he had persistent probs later on and a medical reason existed for a circumcision, then I would revisit the decision.

a men's group who do not support it

No shouts needed. Having caused my son to be circumcised though I was not too happy about it, I would advise her not to, unless there is a specific medical or religious need that she feels she must comply with.

On the religious side, if that's the issue, there may well be more people out there who follow the religion without circumcising than her mother thinks, if she wants to look for them, although obviously that is a very personal choice indeed.

I understand that there are some data showing that HIV contraction is less likely for circumcised men, but condoms are more to the point IMO. I don't know of any other general medical reason to circumcise.

Cultures do change - circumcision was a lot more common in decades past in the UK. It really is not a pleasant thing to be part of, and that is the most restrained I can be on the topic. HTH.

I don't buy into the argument that is cleaner and a preventative measure. Is perfectly possible to have a clean willy with foreskin. Also to live a full and fruitful life with no medical probs relating to infections under the foreskin.

Ok... since we are presenting biased anti circumcision views,I'm going to post a link that presents the other side if the debate.

There are certainly two views on this. It always puzzles me that it is shunned so much in this country. I suppose I feel the same way you do when you try to understand the American point of view.

Here's the link. I haven't really read the site, but though all view should be presented for a two sided debate.

I, for one, am not taking a side here.

www.circinfo.net/index.html

Americans tend to do it just because they do it (unless it's for religious reasons).

But the rate of circumcision in the US is only about 50% now and falling.

There's an American website like Mumsnet called www.mothering.com with a section on circumcision (link)- maybe your friend could ask questions there? It has tons of info. I came across it because ds was born in the US and I was paranoid about him being whisked off and circumsized without our consent - which apparently did used to happen in the 70's - or having his foreskin damaged by some ignorant medical person retracting his foreskin and damaging it, but it was never an issue.