If you are expecting a son, it's likely that people will ask you, "Are you going to have him circumcised?" Circumcision continues to fall out of favor among Americans today, and with good reason. We think that the fact that you've come to Intact America means you're considering keeping him natural — intact or "uncircumcised." We hope the information provided here will make it easier for you to feel comfortable with your decision.

Here's 8 Things New Parents Should Know About Circumcision...

  1. There is no medical reason for "routine" circumcision of baby boys. No professional medical association in the United States or the rest of the world recommends routine circumcision. People in Europe, Asia and Latin America — where 90% of men are intact ("uncircumcised") and suffer no negative consequences — are often shocked to hear that American doctors and hospitals remove part of a boy's penis shortly after birth.
  2. Times and attitudes have changed. The circumcision rate in the United States is down from 81% in 1981 to about 55% today (and much lower in some regions). This means that nearly half of all baby boys leave the hospital intact as more and more parents realize that circumcision is unnecessary. Many say it's not a choice they should be making for their son.
  3. The foreskin provides protection and sexual pleasure. The foreskin is a natural, functional part of the body. In baby boys, it's attached to the head of the penis (glans), protects it from urine, feces, and irritation, and keeps contaminants from entering the urinary tract. The foreskin also plays an important role in sexual pleasure, due to its specialized, erogenous nerve endings and its natural gliding and lubricating functions.
  4. Caring for and cleaning the foreskin is easy. A natural, intact penis requires no special care beyond gentle washing. In babies, the foreskin should never be forcibly retracted — just "clean what's seen." Once natural retraction has occurred (sometimes not until late adolescence), a male simply needs to pull back his foreskin to wash his penis. (Most boys and men thoroughly enjoy this process!) Read our Foreskin Care flyer for more information.
  5. Circumcision is permanent, and your son might not appreciate it. Circumcision permanently alters a boy's genitals, removing healthy, protective, functional tissue from the penis and exposing him to unnecessary pain and medical risks. More and more men are voicing their displeasure over having lost a natural part of their sexual anatomy.
  6. Circumcision is painful, and there are risks to the surgery. Both common sense and medical research confirm that babies are sensitive to pain. Even when analgesia is used, circumcision pain is not eliminated and the effects can be long-lasting. Also, complications can and do occur with this surgery. These include infection, abnormal bleeding, removal of too much skin, loss of part or all of the glans, urinary problems, and even death. All circumcisions result in the loss of the foreskin and its functions, and leave a scar on the penis.
  7. Circumcision does not prevent urinary tract infections (UTIs) or other diseases. Over the years, the claims that circumcision prevents various diseases have repeatedly been proven to be exaggerated or outright false. UTIs occur more frequently in girls than in boys, and are treated with antibiotics. While most adult men in the United States are circumcised, our rates of sexually transmitted diseases (including HIV) are as high — or higher — than those in countries where circumcision is rare.
  8. For more great, sharable information, check out, a user-friendly site for newcomers to the circumcision question.