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Physical, Sexual, and Psychological Effects of Male Infant Circumcision

A New Preputial Structure

  • Chapter
Understanding Circumcision

Abstract

Circumcised and genitally intact men, as well as female and gay partners having sexual experience with both circumcised and intact men, were surveyed in order to investigate the long-term effects of infant circumcision. Both circumcised men and the sexual partners of circumcised men reported a number of adverse physical, sexual, and psychological sequelae. Logistic regression analysis revealed that circumcised men could be reliably classified as having penile scarring, need for use of lubrication when undertaking sexual activity, reluctance to use condoms, progressive decline in sexual sensitivity, as well as unhappiness with and reluctance to think about their circumcision status. Female and gay sexual partners reported that their circumcised partners were more likely to experience reduced sexual sensation as compared with their intact partners, as well as dissatisfaction with their orgasms and a wide range of negative emotions associated with being circumcised. Evidently, there are many adverse physical, sexual and psychological effects from infant circumcision, which need to be acknowledged in any discussions pertaining to informed consent in relation to circumcision surgery.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Bond University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia

    Gillian A. Bensley & Gregory J. Boyle

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  1. Gillian A. Bensley
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  2. Gregory J. Boyle
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA

    George C. Denniston

  2. Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA

    Frederick Mansfield Hodges

  3. National Organization of Circumcision Information Resource Centers, San Anselmo, California, USA

    Marilyn Fayre Milos

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Bensley, G.A., Boyle, G.J. (2001). Physical, Sexual, and Psychological Effects of Male Infant Circumcision. In: Denniston, G.C., Hodges, F.M., Milos, M.F. (eds) Understanding Circumcision. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-3351-8_12

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-3351-8_12

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