Wednesday 31 July 2013

The Best Age for Circumcision

The best age for infant circumcision is between 24 and 72 hours of age. “We don’t recommend circumcision prior to 24 hours of age because the newborn could have an undiagnosed medical issue,” says Dr. Rui Martins, a Toronto-based doctor who regularly performs circumcisions. “In that case, we don’t want to subject him to an elective procedure.” The attending pediatrician or family doctor needs to see your baby prior to any circumcision being performed. Once you’ve been given the okay that your baby is in good health, you should proceed with the circumcision as quickly as possible.

In the first few days after birth, infants tend to bleed less and fuss less during a circumcision. Soon after birth the blood vessels in and around the penis increase in size, and the foreskin changes and starts to grow over the head of the penis. “The longer you wait, the higher the risk your child will require stitches to stop the bleeding,” says Dr. Martins.

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