Circumcision, with Dr. Adrienne Carmack

The Birthful Podcast: Episode #54

Circumcising baby boys has become a “standard of normalcy”, but can it really be that the bodies of half the population are defective? Is there no purpose to the foreskin? Do the benefits truly outweigh the risks? How complicated is it to take care of an intact penis? Urologist Dr. Adrienne Carmack tells us more.

What we talked about:

• Breaking down the policy statement from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
• Does circumcision help prevention of urinary tract infections? Penile cancer? Some STD’s including HIV?
• The risks for penile cancer, as stated by the American Cancer Society.
• How to care for an intact penis
• The purpose of the foreskin
• Dr. Kellogg’s cure to masturbation and sexual immorality
• How is circumcision done? What is the experience like for a newborn?
• New statement from the AAP on how newborns experience pain
• Circumcision risks and implications for infants, babies and adults
• The emotional distress of circumcision and the men that are speaking out
• Body autonomy and other ethical considerations
• Finland: an intact case study (or how 1 in 16.000 actually need a circumcision)
• Talking to your pediatrician about circumcision and the care of an intact penis
• The future of circumcision?

Resources mentioned by Adrienne, recommended books, and websites:

• The American Academy of Pediatrics policy statement on circumcision
• Responses to the AAP’s policy statement from 38 leading non-US physicians, letters published by the journal Pediatrics, and from the Circumcision Resource Center.
• The AAP’s new updated statement on minimizing newborn pain
• Can penile cancer be prevented?, from The American Cancer Society
• Function of the foreskin, from Circumcision Information and Resource Pages (CIRP)
• Taking care of a circumcised penis
• What happens before, during, and after a circumcision?
• “Should I Circumcise My Son?” the Myths and Facts Behind Male Infant Circumcision, PDF handout from Dr. Carmack
• Answers to Your Questions About Your Young Son’s Intact Penis, from the National Organization of Circumcision Information Resource Centers (NOCIRC) at nocirc.org
• Photo gallery mentioned by Dr. Carmack, showing the difference of intact vs. circumcised penises.
• Brit Shalom (naming ceremony) as an alternative Jewish ritual
• Circumcision’s Psychological Damage, from psychology today

•  Books*

  • The Good Mommy’s Guide to her little boy’s penis, and Reclaiming My Birth Rights, by Dr. Adrienne Carmack
  • Circumcision, The Hidden Trauma: How an American Cultural Practice Affects Infants and Ultimately Us All and Questioning Circumcision: A Jewish Perspective and Questioning Circumcision: A Jewish Perspective, by Dr. Ronald Goldman

•  Websites

  • www.thecircumcisiondecision.com
  • www.circumcisiondecisionmaker.com
  • www.yourwholebaby.org
  • www.nocirc.org
  • www.cirp.org
  • www.mendocomplain.com
  • www.circumcisionharm.org

[mark]About Dr. Adrienne Carmack[/mark]

Dr. Carmack is a board-certified urologist and mother of three children, all of whom were born outside of a hospital, breastfed, and kept intact. She is the author of The Good Mommy’s Guide to Her Little Boy’s Penis and Reclaiming My Birth Rights: A Mother’s Wisdom Triumphs over the Harmful Practices of Her Medical Profession. Dr. Carmack speaks on holistic urology topics, ranging from kidney stone prevention to genital autonomy and other birth rights.

Find out more at AdrienneCarmack.com

*May contain affiliate links. This means that -at no extra cost to you- I may get a small percentage of what you buy. That is one of the ways of helping me continue to do this podcast – Thank you!

Like the music on the podcast?:

Title music: “Vibe Ace” by Kevin MacLeod, from the Free Music Archive / CC BY (edited for length).
Sponsorship music: “Air Hockey Saloon” by Chris Zabriskie, from the Free Music Archive / CC BY (edited for length).