The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recently released a draft for the long-awaited federal guidelines on circumcision, stating among other things that the surgical procedure could help straight men within the United States to reduce the risk of contracting HIV, which is the virus that leads to AIDS.
In the guidelines, the CDC said that due to the urgency surrounding the epidemic of HIV, the agency believes that it is important to maximize the potential impact of all prevention options available, which includes circumcision.
The draft of the guidance states that all uncircumcised and sexually active straight males and adolescents, along with the parents of newborn baby boys, should receive counseling from their doctors regarding the key benefits and risks of circumcision.
The guidelines, however, emphasize the decision for male circumcision should be made voluntarily, and should consider "personal, cultural, religious and ethical beliefs."
Studies have shown that circumcised men are less at risk to acquire sexually transmitted diseases compared to their uncircumcised counterparts when engaging in vaginal sex. Circumcision reduces the risk of HIV infection from a female partner by between 50 and 60 percent.
In addition, circumcision also reduces the risk of contracting genital herpes by as much as 45 percent, and of acquiring human papillomavirus, which can cause cancer, by 30 percent.
The studies, however, showed that circumcision led to no reduction in the risk of contracting HIV and other diseases from anal sex with male partners.
It was also found that it is safer for women to engage in sexual activities with men that are circumcised, as there is a lower risk of being infected with bacterial vaginosis, HPV and trichomoniasis. However, no medical evidence exists that links male circumcision to a reduction in the HIV risk for the female sexual partners.
The CDC added that there is a low risk for adverse events due to circumcision, with inflammation and minor bleeding being the most significant problems of the operational procedure. Complications only arise in lower than 0.5 percent of newborn babies, 9 percent of children and 5 percent of adults.
The release of the guidelines launches a public comment period that lasts for 45 days, wherein people that oppose the procedure have promised to voice their thoughts.
One of the concerns of the people against circumcision, who call themselves "intactivists," is that the decision to undergo the procedure should be made only by a consenting adult, and not the parents of a newborn boy.
