Circumcision is the surgical removal of the skin covering the tip of the penis (preputium). Circumcision has been one of the most frequently performed surgical procedures in the world since ancient times. Circumcision has a long history and continues to be an integral part of various religious, cultural and social contexts today. Bodies dating back to 4000 BC, unearthed from Egyptian tombs, constitute evidence that circumcision was also performed at that time. A sixth dynasty relief showing the circumcision of adolescent boys found in Egypt (Figure 1) (dating to 2345-2180 BC) reflects the first documented practice of circumcision.
In our country and around the world, circumcision is generally performed for religious and traditional reasons. However, there are also circumcision procedures performed for some medical necessity or protective purposes. The procedure is also part of personal hygiene or preventive health care. In addition to studies reporting that circumcision is protective against sexually transmitted diseases, there are publications reporting that penile cancer is more common in uncircumcised men than in circumcised men.
There are different opinions about the timing of circumcision. Scientifically, it has been shown that circumcision reduces the risk of urinary tract infection by 10 times in the first year. However, the group whose risk of urinary tract infection should be reduced especially in the first year is boys who have kidney and/or bladder problems in the ultrasounds performed in the womb. Except for these children, newborn circumcision is a choice of the family. According to Sigmund Freud, children's psychosocial development periods consist of certain stages. These; oral period (0-1 years), anal period (1-3 years), phallic period (3-6 years), latent period (6-12 years) and genital period (12-18 years). Among these periods, the phallic period is the period that is not recommended in terms of circumcision timing. During the phallic period, children begin to discover their sexual identities and the distinction between boys and girls becomes clear. During the phallic period, the boy's interest in his penis is at its highest level. It is thought that circumcision performed during this period may cause anxiety about losing the entire sexual organ and may have negative effects on psychosexual development. However, this view is not scientifically valid. It has not been based on sound foundations and there are also publications that say otherwise.
No matter what reason (religious, traditional, medical) or how (local or general anesthesia) circumcision is performed. It should not be forgotten that circumcision is a surgical procedure. It must be done under operating room conditions with appropriate materials that provide sterilization conditions.
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