The past decade has been rife with news of botched circumcisions that resulted in grave complications or worse, with one case in particular having made national headlines.

Mohammad Siddiqui, a former health practitioner at the University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, pleaded guilty to 25 charges related to his “unsafe and unsanitary” circumcision practice. As per a BBC news report, the Crown Prosecution Service charged him with assault occasioning bodily harm and cruelty to a person under 16.
Apart from his undesirable conduct during the hearing last October, Siddiqui was found employing unsanitary practices such as storing his tools without cleaning and disinfecting them first. He was also caught using a “circumstraint board” to keep infants from twisting and turning, which the National Health Service (NHS) deems unacceptable. The former doctor is set to be sentenced sometime in January 2025.
The incident, along with several other cases over the past year, has led to questions about the necessity of circumcisions. Some advocacies like the National Secular Society have called for its ban, while certain religious groups are bound to protect it as part of tradition. Regardless of these nuances, parents may opt to get their babies circumcised. If that’s the case, expert circumcision services are believed to be the safest approach.
Here’s what it entails and what are its benefits.
Removing the Foreskin
Newborn circumcision is one of the simplest surgical procedures in use, entailing the removal of the foreskin covering the glans or head of the penis. The NHS explains that doctors rarely rely upon this procedure as less invasive alternatives like dorsal slits are available.
Contrary to popular belief, baby circumcision Manchester services that families rely on are still helpful for treating the following medical conditions:
- Tight Foreskin/Phimosis: While not usually a problem, the presence of symptoms such as painful urination and recurring urinary tract infection (UTI) can necessitate taking the foreskin out surgically.
- Swollen Penis/Balanitis: An infection that causes the penis head to swell and turn red. Symptoms include painful urination, bleeding in the foreskin area, and a thick discharge underneath the foreskin.
- Paraphimosis: A more medically-urgent version of phimosis wherein the foreskin is unable to retract further. This results in pain and an increased risk of cutting off the supply of nutrients to the tip of the penis.
- Balanitis Xerotica Obliterans: Also called penile lichen sclerosus, this is a version of balanitis that combines the characteristics of phimosis and balanitis. A notable trait is the formation of white pigments on the penis.
The procedure is done under the effects of a general or local anesthetic to reduce the pain. Then, the doctor or surgeon makes several incisions to allow them to peel off the foreskin and expose the glans. To close the wound made by this surgical procedure, they employ dissolvable stitches that the body will safely absorb in a matter of weeks.
Professional circumcision can be performed in an hour or less, depending on the patient. According to the British Association of Urological Surgeons (BAUS), a circumcised penis may remain swollen within two weeks after the operation. In almost all cases, the glans may also experience reduced or heightened sensitivity during the same period.
The BAUS also says that the risk of adverse post-op effects, such as bleeding and oedema, is between 1% and 2%. The risk of hospital-acquired infections is slightly higher, between 4% and 6%, depending on the clinic or hospital.
Medical Benefits
Most debates on circumcision revolve around weighing the benefits and risks. In a write-up on Medscape, Ryan Terlecki, a professor of obstetrics and gynaecology at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist, wrote that most phimosis cases resolve by themselves at the age of three. Even those that last well into early adulthood aren’t typically a cause for alarm.
However, Terlecki also cited circumcision’s effects on lowering UTI risk, especially among infants. Citing data from the American Urological Association, he said circumcised boys have a 1-in-1,000 risk of contracting the disease compared to 1-in-100 in uncircumcised ones. A similar trend applies to cancer, HIV and HPV.
Importance of Dual Consent
Another issue regarding newborn circumcision involves getting parental consent. Some procedures have been done with the consent of only either the father or mother, which have caused as many legal issues as they have medical ones.
The General Medical Council (GMC) has maintained since 1997 that circumcision should have the consent of “both parents whenever possible.” It points to opinions from courts that define circumcision as “important and irreversible.” Naturally, if only one parent is available, the decision rests solely on them.
Under British Medical Association (BMA) guidelines, doctors are obligated to offer accurate information about the procedure and help parents understand its nature and implications. However, the guidelines also stress that it should be conducted with the child’s best interests in mind, which include (but aren’t limited to):
- The child’s views on the matter
- The parents’ views on the matter
- The views of those closest to the child
- Cultural, religious, and other views
- Professional insights from the doctor
- The presence of a less restrictive option
When parents disagree on whether to have their child circumcised, the BMA recommends seeking a court order. Doctors aren’t obligated to conduct circumcision without one.
Given its nature and implications, circumcision should be done correctly the first time. Parents are encouraged to seek an experienced medical practitioner, considering that U.K. law doesn’t require the practitioner to possess formal medical training. The practitioner should be registered with the GMC to ensure a safe and professional procedure.
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