I've been writing a lot about the circumcision debate recently - the potential health benefits, whether they're worth the sacrifices. What I haven't been writing about is the religious side of the circumcision debate. In general, that is because I don't think that talking about health risks is going to mean much to people who are pro- or anti- circumcision for religious reasons. However, the latest statements coming out of the New York ultra-orthodox Jewish community have me changing my mind.
As background, there have been several recent deaths from neonatal herpes in infants circumcised using a practice where the mohel suctions blood from the penis using his mouth. Although the link to the practice is not definitive, rates of neonatal herpes are twice as high in infants circumcised using this practice as in infants who were not. (As an alternate explanation, it is also possible that this might reflect underlying herpes rates in the communities that choose this practice. However, evidence is more supportive of the link to circumcision. )
Because of the potential risk, the NY department of health proposed that parents be asked to sign a consent form acknowledging the potential risks of using this practice. A major rabbi in the ultra-orthodox community refused. According to the NY Post, he stated, "You're forcing the mohel and the parent to sign a piece of paper that contradicts their religious convictions."
In my mind, that's ridiculous. The health department is not trying to move circumcision out of the religious setting. It's not even forbidding the practice. All it's saying is that parents deserve to be informed that one particular element of one type of religious circumcision may have a health risk so that they can make their own decision. How is that contradicting their religious convictions? If parents believe the practice is a central tenet of their religion they can still practice it. They just have to acknowledge that it may potentially cause a health problem.
People who value religious circumcisions do have other options. Many mohels have already stepped away from the practice - using a more hygienic pipette to suction off the blood after the foreskin is removed.
Source: http://std.about.com/b/2012/09/10/the-religious-debate.htm
hsv 2 virus mild herpes symptoms penis herpes pictures std test herpes oral
No comments:
Post a Comment