Whether you're expecting a baby boy or have just welcomed your new little guy into the world, you have an important decision to make before you take your son home: whether to circumcise him.
For some parents, circumcision is a religious ritual. It can also be a matter of family tradition, personal hygiene or preventive health care. For others, however, the procedure seems unnecessary or disfiguring.
The issue of circumcision is as controversial as it ever has been. There are well-known religious, social, and medical reasons to recommend circumcision; however, most major medical societies have taken an "impartial" view of the procedure, neither recommending nor renouncing the practice.
Routine circumcision is no longer recommended by most pediatricians. However, there are reasons some parents opt to have their sons circumcised. Learn more about circumcision, the reasons for and against it, and get a worksheet that will help you weigh your decision.
Reasons for and against circumcision from the American Academy of Pediatricians.