At present, South Korea is the only country that practises routine male circumcision among its immediate geographical and cultural neighbours. For instance, the vast majority of the population in Russia, Mongolia, China and Japan do not practise circumcision.
Rates vary widely, from 99.9% in Morocco, and similarly high rates in many Muslim-majority countries, to 91.7% in Israel, 80% in the United States, to 75% in South Korea, to 58% in Australia, to 45% in South Africa, to 20.7% in the United Kingdom, 14% in China, 9% in Japan, and 1% in Honduras.
Over 77% of Koreans are circumcised. Their culture believes it has both medical and hygienic benefits. During the Korean war, they were influenced by the fact that the American GI were circumcised. They agree that a circumcised penis is more aesthetically pleasing and more attractive than uncircumcised penis.
It is the only country among its geographical and cultural neighbors in which most boys are circumcised; no other countries with strong Confucian and Buddhist traditions circumcise at this rate [1]. In fact, circumcision is against Korea's long and strong tradition of preserving the body as a gift from parents.
Among the non-circumcising nations are Holland, Belgium, France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Scandinavia, the U.S.S.R. , China, and Japan. People employing circumcision do so either for health reasons or as a religious ritual practiced by Muslims, Jews, most black Africans, non-white Australians, and others.
The CDC researchers estimated total circumcision prevalence to be 80.5% (Table 1). Racial differences were apparent: Prevalence was 90.8% in non-Hispanic white, 75.7% in non-Hispanic black, and 44.0% in Mexican American males.
Christianity and circumcision
In the Old Testament circumcision is clearly defined as a covenant between God and all Jewish males. Circumcision is not laid down as a requirement in the New Testament. Instead, Christians are urged to be "circumcised of the heart" by trusting in Jesus and his sacrifice on the cross.
In Japan, routine male circumcision has never been implemented for newborns and children, and adult males are mostly circumcised at aesthetic clinics. However, media reports indicate a trend of Japanese mothers willing to have their sons circumcised.
In draft guidelines issued in December, the CDC emphasized that the most up-to-date medical science indicates clear health benefits of circumcision—including a 50%-60% reduced risk of female-to-male HIV transmission, a 30% reduced risk of transmission of the human papilloma virus (HPV), and lower risk of urinary tract ...
Circumcision may be done at any age. If you were not circumcised as a baby, you may choose to have it done later for personal or medical reasons. Your doctor may suggest circumcision later if: You have repeated infections of the foreskin that do not get better with treatment.
Circumcision rates are low in China compared to Asian countries like South Korea or Japan, where the foreskin is often removed at birth for hygiene reasons, or Muslims in countries like Indonesia who practice it for religious reasons.
Across the 32-year period from 1979 through 2010, the national rate of newborn circumcision declined 10% overall, from 64.5% to 58.3% (Table and Figure 1). During this time, the overall percentage of newborns circumcised during their birth hospitalization was highest in 1981 at 64.9%, and lowest in 2007 at 55.4%.
European countries consider newborn circumcision an unnecessary surgical procedure which increases the costs of operating nationalised health systems, whereas in the US, circumcision is generally considered a simple, rapid operation with medical benefits which accrue throughout life.
Before circumcision, the foreskin covers the tip of the penis (glans). After circumcision, the tip of the penis is exposed.
The prevalence of male circumcision in China is far lower than in all parts of the United States (30%–74%) (Introcaso et al., 2013). Studies show that MSM in China (16.4%) (Yuan et al., 2022) and parts of China have a lower prevalence of circumcision.
The Philippines has been one of the world's major circumcising societies. Almost all Filipino males — the estimate is that more than 90% of them1 — are circumcised. It is unknown how a phenomenon with prehistoric roots2 has been transformed into the country's most enduring and universal tradition for males.
Some reasons include the lack of knowledge of the health benefits of male circumcision by providers and the health care providers' belief that Hispanic patients will not be interested in male circumcision for diverse reasons, including lack of awareness of the surgical procedure, adherence to traditions/family patterns ...
Conclusions. Pain is mild to moderate after circumcision in adults under general anesthesia with an intraoperative penile block. Severe pain is rare and mostly related to complications. Younger patients generally have more discomfort.
Eventually, the foreskin should be retracted far enough during urination to see the meatus (the hole where the urine comes from). This prevents urine from building up beneath the foreskin and possibly causing an infection. As long as the foreskin doesn't easily retract, only the outside needs to be cleaned.
It's very uncommon in Russia if no serious reason. Serious reason is to born Jew or to born Muslim or medical reason (phimosis). I was circumcised because of last of those and it's very rare for ethnically Russian .
Peer pressure was also an important contributing factor. Conclusion: South Korea has an unusual history of circumcision. The mistaken and out-dated notions about circumcision and lack of knowledge of phimosis by physicians seem to be a leading contributory factor to the extraordinarily high circumcision rate.
The commandment to circumcise was a covenant made with Abraham and is recorded in Genesis 17:10–14, reading: 'And God spoke to Abraham saying: … This is my covenant which you shall keep between me and you and thy seed after you — every male child among you shall be circumcised. '
It can prevent foreskin infections and phimosis, a condition where the foreskin cannot be pulled back. Circumcision can lead to a lower risk of some sexually transmitted infections, including HIV. However, it is much less effective against the STIs common in the U.S., and the HIV risk reduction is minimal.
Jesus Christ was circumcised as a Jew on the 8th day after his birth. Until 1960 the Catholic church celebrated the day as Circumcision Day. In medieval times the holy foreskin was worshipped in many European churches.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that, "except when performed for strictly therapeutic medical reasons, directly intended amputations, mutilations, and sterilizations performed on innocent persons are against the moral law."3 This implies that nontherapeutic mutilations violate the physical integrity of the ...