Circumcision can be traced back to ancient Egyptian times. Its mention is found in religious texts and in the twentieth century circumcision was regarded as being medically necessary in preventing various diseases and complications in males. In some cultures, it is a rite of passage, while in others it is done for socio-cultural and medical reasons.
Currently, in the United States of America, circumcision is one of the most commonly performed medical surgeries in hospitals. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) show that in 2010 the percent of newborn males circumcised is 58.3%. A number which represents over half of the males living in the United States. Since this study only takes into account the number of circumcisions performed in hospitals, it is likely that the number of circumcisions performed in the US is much higher. It seems that for most of the world circumcision is a widely accepted practice.
There is debate on whether or not circumcision poses significant health benefits. With most families turning to their doctors for …show more content…
p. 2). Circumcision practices also cross over to the female population in some countries. However, the reasons behind female circumcision are mostly of religious belief and small pocketed cultural tradition. In a research article titled, Reflections on Female Circumcision Discourse in Hargeysa, Somaliland: Purified or Mutilated? The authors Elin Vestbøstad and Astrid Blystad write that Somaliland is a country that practices both male and female circumcision at birth. It is the belief that newborns come into the world unclean, and thus circumcision is a way of purifying the body. (Vestbøstad and Blystad. p.
Currently, in the United States of America, circumcision is one of the most commonly performed medical surgeries in hospitals. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) show that in 2010 the percent of newborn males circumcised is 58.3%. A number which represents over half of the males living in the United States. Since this study only takes into account the number of circumcisions performed in hospitals, it is likely that the number of circumcisions performed in the US is much higher. It seems that for most of the world circumcision is a widely accepted practice.
There is debate on whether or not circumcision poses significant health benefits. With most families turning to their doctors for …show more content…
p. 2). Circumcision practices also cross over to the female population in some countries. However, the reasons behind female circumcision are mostly of religious belief and small pocketed cultural tradition. In a research article titled, Reflections on Female Circumcision Discourse in Hargeysa, Somaliland: Purified or Mutilated? The authors Elin Vestbøstad and Astrid Blystad write that Somaliland is a country that practices both male and female circumcision at birth. It is the belief that newborns come into the world unclean, and thus circumcision is a way of purifying the body. (Vestbøstad and Blystad. p.