Circumcision benefits outweigh risks, say US doctors:

The revision follows numerous studies suggest newborn circumcision can reduce the risk of urinary tract infections (UTIs), penile cancer and some sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including heterosexually acquired HIV, syphilis, herpes and human papillomavirus (HPV).

It says current evidence indicates the health benefits of the procedure outweigh the risks.

However, the medical procedure isn’t deemed a medical necessity for the well-being of the child and does not recommend routine circumcision for newborn males.

The American Academy of Pediatrics policy statement indicates that it is important for physicians to regularly inform parents in an unbiased manner about the health benefits and risks of circumcision, leaving the decision about whether to circumcise up to the parents.

“Pediatricians should remain nonjudgmental and support the choice that parents make,” says  Douglas S. Diekema, M.D., FAAP, a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics Task Force on Circumcision and a bioethics expert.