General Information

Understanding Newborn Circumcision:
A Primer

What is Circumcision?

Circumcision is a procedure that removes the foreskin (prepuce) from the end of the penis. It has a long history and is chosen for cultural, religious, hygiene and medical reasons.

For your newborn, it remains a personal choice guided by your family’s values, beliefs, and medical advice. When performed on a newborn, the circumcision is considered an overall safe procedure.

Uncircumcised Penis

Circumcised Penis

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Making the Decision: To Circumcise or Not?

Here are the key factors families often consider:

Reasons to NOT Circumcise

Delaying the choice: You may prefer for your son to make this decision himself when he is older.
Concern about complications: There are risks involved (see “Risks/Complications” below).
Pain: The procedure does involve pain, though local anesthetic is used.
Sexual function: While circumcision is not known to cause sexual dysfunction overall, some parents worry about potential changes.
Completely reasonable to not circumcise: Many uncircumcised individuals manage with proper hygiene habits.

Reasons TO Circumcise

Cultural/Religious Identity: It may be integral to one’s community, tradition or religion.
Health Benefits: Benefits can be seen for the circumcised individual and their partner(s) (see “Benefits” below).
Easier Hygiene: A circumcised penis is often considered easier to keep clean.
Timing: The procedure is considered safest when performed in the newborn period (lowest risk of complications).
Reduced Risk of Specific Medical Issues: It markedly lowers the risk of conditions like paraphimosis (when the foreskin gets stuck and can cut off blood flow—a medical emergency) and other foreskin-related issues.

Care for the Uncircumcised Penis

Information on caring for an uncircumcised penis is straightforward and can be found in the following places:

Additional Information on Circumcision

Benefits
Circumcision is a procedure, and these are the potential upsides:

Foreskin-Related Conditions: Markedly reduced likelihood of developing medical conditions related to an intact foreskin like balanitis (inflammation of head/glans of penis), posthitis (inflammation of foreskin), phimosis (foreskin stuck to glans) and paraphimosis (mentioned above).
Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs): Reduced likelihood of UTIs in infancy.
Cancer:
- Reduced risk of already rare penile cancer.
- Reduced risk of cervical cancer in female partners of circumcised males.
Reduced Sexually Transmitted Infection Risk: Reduced risk of contracting Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV/herpes), and Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) later in life.
Hygiene: Eliminates the need for regularly cleaning the space under the foreskin.

Risks/Complications
While serious complications are rare, it is important to be aware of the potential risks:

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Type of Complication	Description	Details
Bleeding	Bleeding from the surgical site.	Usually managed with pressure. Rarely requires further measures (surgery, transfusion). Death is rare.
Adhesions	Cut skin edges sticking to the head of the penis (glans).	Often resolves with growth or can be managed with manual separation and/or medication. May, at times, require surgical removal if they are unable to be reduced or form skin bridges.
Inflammation/Scarring	Inflammation of the urethra/ tube that connects bladder to skin (meatal stenosis).	Risk is markedly reduced with the use of ointment after the procedure.
Infection	Infections occur with any procedure; overall risk is low.	The possibility of a serious bloodstream infection (sepsis) and death are rare.
Anesthetic Reaction	Serious reaction to the local anesthetic (freezing).	Rare.
Issues Related to Foreskin or Epidermal Cyst	Removal of too much or too little foreskin, or cicatrix (a scar that gives a concealed penis appearance) can occur. Also, implant of skin cells or smegma can result in a cyst.	Can affect the functional and/or cosmetic outcome. May require a revision procedure later.
Serious Injury	Injury to the glans (head of the penis) or urethra.	Rare complications like glans injury/amputation or urethrocutaneous fistula (a new connection between the urethra and skin).
Sexual Function	Alteration of penis structure/ function.	Generally, circumcision does not cause sexual dysfunction. Alteration is possible in the event of an unusual/serious complication (Rare).
Revision Circumcision	The potential for needing another procedure in the future to correct issues.	Most circumcisions do not require further surgical procedures

Take-Home Messages

The Canadian Paediatric Society (CPS) does not recommend routine circumcision for every newborn male.
Newborn male circumcision has fairly balanced risks and benefits.
Minor complications may happen, but serious complications are rare.
Circumcision is considered a reasonable procedure when the decision is informed.
Just like no two people look exactly alike, the result of every circumcision will have its own unique appearance.

Please feel free to ask any further questions you have. We are here to support your family before, during, and after the procedure.

Information sources for parents:

Sources consulted for the creation of the above content:

Sorokan ST, Finlay JC, Jefferies AL; Canadian Paediatric Society, Fetus and Newborn Committee, Infectious Diseases and Immunization Committee. Newborn male circumcision. Paediatric Child Health. 2015 Aug-Sep;20(6):311-20. https://cps.ca/en/ documents/position/circumcision
Bolnick DA, Koyle MA, Yosha A, editors. Surgical guide to circumcision. London: Springer; 2012.
Baskin, LS. 2025, Apr 17. Patient education: Circumcision in baby boys (Beyond the Basics). UpToDate. Accessed on 2025, Nov 2.
Freymiller C, Thompson LA. What Parents Should Understand About Infant Male Circumcision. JAMA Pediatr. 2025;179(9):1048

Understanding Newborn Circumcision:A Primer