Circumcisions for newborn infants

Upon arrival of your baby, a provider from Kernodle Pediatrics will come to the hospital to examine your baby within 24 hours of their birth and continue to visit your baby daily during your hospital stay. If your baby is born in a different hospital, he or she will be seen by the on-call pediatrician for that hospital.

We are able to perform circumcisions for newborn male infants while you are in the hospital. If you prefer to have your baby circumcised after discharge, we can perform this procedure in our office within the first two weeks of life.

What is circumcision?

Circumcision is the procedure of removing the foreskin of the penis, a sheath of skin that covers the head (glans) of the penis. The decision whether or not to have your newborn boy circumcised is a personal choice that may involve religious and/or cultural considerations.

It has been determined that babies do experience pain from the procedure, and the use of an anesthetic is recommended. The most common method is the injection of numbing medication into the base of the penis with a small needle.

Benefits and risks

Circumcision is not a medically-necessary procedure. The benefits are not great enough that the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends universal newborn circumcision, however, through scientific evidence they have determined the health benefits outweigh the risks.

The benefits include:

• Slightly lower risk of urinary tract infections
• Some protection from penile cancer
• Lower risk of acquiring HIV, the virus that causes AIDS
• Significantly lower risk of acquiring a number of other
• sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including genital
• herpes (HSV), human papillomavirus (HPV) and syphilis.
• Prevention of foreskin infections
• Prevention of phimosis, a condition in uncircumcised males that makes foreskin retraction impossible
• Potential for reduced risk of cervical cancer in female partners of male circumcised men
• Easier genital hygiene

As with any medical procedure, there are risks. Complications are rare and usually minor, but may include:

• Bleeding
• Swelling
• Infection
• Cutting the foreskin too short or too long
• Improper healing

Contact Kernodle Clinic Pediatrics

If you have questions about circumcision for newborn infants or would like to schedule an appointment for this procedure, call Kernodle Clinic Pediatrics at (336) 538-2416 (Elon) or (919) 563-2500 (Mebane).