Neonatal Circumcision and HIV Infection

Neonatal circumcision: Effects on breastfeeding and outcomes associated with breastfeeding

“…While there has been often strong advocacy for the view that circumcision has adverse effects on childhood outcomes by disrupting breastfeeding, 9,[11][12][13]23 this study produced no evidence to support these claims. Circumcised and uncircumcised male children had similar histories of both breastfeeding and the outcomes associated with breastfeeding.…”

“…There have been consistent claims made about the adverse effects of circumcision on the establishment of breastfeeding and the consequent effects on child health. [9][10][11][12][13] In this study, we have tested these claims using data gathered on a birth cohort of New Zealand-born children studied from birth into middle childhood. This analysis leads to two general conclusions.…”

“…Circumcision Information and Resource Pages, 18 InfoCirc, 19 and Mothering Magazine 20 ), the evidence on which this claim has been based proves to be tenuous. This evidence has largely been drawn from extrapolation from the results of observational studies of the short‐term effects of circumcision on infant behaviour and maternal bonding, 10,21,22 supplemented by conjecture and opinion that this evidence implies that circumcision could disrupt breastfeeding 9,11–13,23 . There appears to have been no controlled study in which a group of circumcised infants is compared with an equivalent group of non‐circumcised infants to examine the effects of circumcision on rates of breastfeeding and the benefits presumed to follow from breastfeeding.…”

“…In particular, there have been recurrent claims in the literature on child health and infant feeding to the effect that infant circumcision may (i) disrupt the development of infant feeding and (ii) reduce the access of circumcised infants to the benefits of breastfeeding including reduced risks of infection, decreased rates of atopic disease and improvements in intelligence. [9][10][11][12][13] The increased risks of infection due to lower levels of breastfeeding are particularly problematic in less developed areas of the world, where individuals are at greater risk of morbidity and mortality due to malnutrition and infectious disease. In addition, in the developed world, there has been increased emphasis on the development of breastfeeding in order to improve child health.…”

“…In addition, circumcision has been shown to significantly reduce the risk of urinary tract infection maternal bonding, 10,21,22 supplemented by conjecture and opinion that this evidence implies that circumcision could disrupt breastfeeding. 9,[11][12][13]23 There appears to have been no controlled study in which a group of circumcised infants is compared with an equivalent group of non-circumcised infants to examine the effects of circumcision on rates of breastfeeding and the benefits presumed to follow from breastfeeding.…”