Male circumcision: a review of the evidence

This literature review details how male circumcision has been a subject of debate for many years with different parties quoting different benefits and risks. The incidences of these risks are seldom quantified. This paper attempts to assess the rationale for circumcision on medical, religious and cultural grounds and examines the relative rate of complications. It also attempts to assess the proposed benefits, one of which relates to infection transmission but these are small on a population scale. The stated risks of surgical complications are small. No studies show impaired sexual functioning following circumcision. All complications are increased and of greater severity with untrained personnel performing circumcision. The available evidence does not justify routine circumcision.