By Rachel Stockton (rachels@foodconsumer.org)

The CDC is currently debating whether or not to endorse routine circumcision for male newborns in an effort to help quell the spread of HIV.  As Food Consumer reported recently, studies out of Africa have verified that men who are circumcised have a reduced risk of getting HIV from an infected female partner.  Thus, in addition to circumcising newborns, the agency is thinking of encouraging heterosexual men who have high risk lifestyles to have the procedure done, also.

However, circumcision makes no difference in risk among homosexual men; the percentages of infection for those circumcised are roughly comparable to those who remain uncircumcised.  And herein lies one of the reasons the decision is proving to be controversial.  Critics also argue that the results here in the United States will not be as dramatic as they were in Africa because as far as health care goes, comparing the two nations is similar to contrasting apples to oranges.

Also, a significant number of heterosexual, HIV infected patients did not become infected from having sex with a woman.

There is also the argument that routine circumcision would require surgery for something that does not threaten a child's well being.  The benefit from the procedure would come years later.  This is the main reason the American Academy of Pediatrics is not endorsing the practice.

Circumcision, which is the removal of the foreskin of the penis, may also help to reduce the risk of other diseases such as male urinary tract infections and sexually transmitted diseases - specifically, herpes and syphilis.  Some studies seem to suggest that cancer risk is reduced by the procedure.

While 79% of the male population in the United States have already been circumcised, statistics show that Hispanic and black men, who are already at a greater risk for HIV, are less likely to be circumcised than whites.

Although circumcising adult males is somewhat more problematic than newborn circumcision, there are specialty clinics within urology practices in the United States that regularly perform them.  The Circumcision Center in Atlanta performed nearly 300 adult circumcisions in 2006.

Should a male decide to remain uncircumcised, hygiene with regards to the foreskin is especially imperative.  Many of the infections and diseases that originate in the foreskin can be circumvented through meticulous hygiene.