The fact and fiction surrounding the practice of circumcision has been met with uncertainty due to conflicting research and religious traditions. From its impact on sexual function to possible mental health implications, expecting parents may find it hard to make a final decision on circumcising their infant, the Medical Daily reported.

“Circumcision is a safe procedure, but it is a surgical procedure and care must be taken,” Dr. Carey Chronis, author of Dr. Carey's Baby Care: First Year Baby Care Guide, told Medical Daily in an email, adding: “The two major risks are typical of any procedure where skin is cut, namely, bleeding and infection. With proper care and periodic inspection, this should not be an issue. Two major benefits of circumcision are the ease in cleanliness and a slightly lower chance of urinary tract infections.”

Let's clear up some of the myths and realities facing male circumcision by discussing five things you may or may not know about the procedure:

1. Lowers STD risk

Although research in the past has shown that circumcision can reduce the risk of contracting the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in men by 50 to 60 percent, the exact cause has not been well understood. A recent study conducted at the Translational Genomics Research Institute revealed that removing the foreskin from a penis can change the bacterial community known as the “microbiome,” leading to improved protection against the HIV infection. 

2. Lowers prostate cancer risk

Researchers from the University of Quebec’s INRS-Institut Armand-Frappier in Montreal have found that compared to uncircumcised men, those who were circumcised as infants were 14 percent less likely to develop prostate cancer. 

3. Risk grows with age and personal choice

Possible risk factors associated with circumcision such as bleeding, infection, excessive skin removal, difficulty urinating, and scarring seem to become more common with age. This is why many physicians urge parents to have the procedure done early if they are planning to have it done at all. 

4. There is some pain involved with the procedure

While circumcision is generally regarded as a quick and easy procedure, that does not mean the infant will be free from any pain. This is why many doctors recommend analgesia, a mixture of local anesthetics, or a numbing injection like lidocaine to reduce the amount of pain the infant experiences before and after the procedure.

5. Mental health implications

A preliminary investigation surrounding the trauma experienced by infants who undergo a circumcision has revealed a possible link to alexithymia, difficulty identifying and expressing feelings, researchers from Toronto found.