Saturday, September 26, 2015

Some Important Facts On Newborn Circumcision

By Della Monroe


Circumcision has been practiced for many centuries now. Initially, the practice existed mainly for religious reasons and cultural rituals. These still exist but there has also been huge support from the scientific community which has strongly supported the act as having numerous medical benefits. There are variations in the manner in which it is performed but the end result is more or less the same. Some people perform newborn circumcision but others prefer to have it performed much later.

The proponents of this procedure have cited personal hygiene as the biggest benefit for persons that have been circumcised. The presence of the foreskin predisposes to the build-up of a whitish discharge known as smegma. This discharge is a risk for infection and causes odor if not washed off regularly. Circumcision is a permanent solution to this problem.

If you choose to have your baby circumcised as a newborn then the best time to have it done is before you leave the hospital. As a matter of fact, most obstetricians are qualified to competently perform this minor surgery. The procedure may be postponed or cancelled all the same if some abnormalities are noted on the baby. You can then reschedule the operation for a later date if you still need to have it performed.

One of the commonest causes for cancellations and postponements is a poor general health condition. In such a state, they may not withstand the anesthetic agents used. Additionally, the pain is more and the risk for infections is higher. This is because, when we are sick, our immune system is compromised as it attempts to fight the preexisting illness.

The presence of anatomical abnormalities affecting the penis will definitely mean that the procedure is postponed. Some of these include abnormal locations of the urethral opening such as hypospadia and epispadia. The former describes a condition in which the urethral opening is located on the inferior aspect of the penile shaft while the later refers to the same opening being on the upper part of the shaft.

As prophylaxis against bacterial infections, the babies should be put on a course of antibiotics. This is done for a duration of seven to ten days. The babies also need some pain relievers during this time because they too experience pain. A small bandage is used to dress the wound for about forty eight hours.

Babies usually heal faster compared to adults. Most will require about ten days for healing to take place. Parents may notice a bit of redness around the penile tip and yellow discharge. This should not worry them as it is a common occurrence. The signs that indicate presence of an infection include generalized redness that is persistent or when there is a cloudy discharge.

Before signing up for the circumcision of your baby, you will be well advised to hold a discussion with your doctor. The focus should be on weighing the benefits against the potential risks. If the risks are high at the time, consider postponing it to a later date. Although the risks will be slightly higher in older children, the final outcomes are more or less the same.




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