Parental Information and Circumcision in Highly Motivated Couples with Higher Education

Abstract

Neonatal circumcision is a routine procedure performed in most male neonates. The American Academy of Pediatrics emphasizes the importance of parental information in the decision-making process. If correct medical information is going to make a difference in the performance of this procedure, the population more likely to show this difference is the highly motivated one with higher education. Parents attending childbirth classes (Lamaze) were randomized into two groups: group 1 was given verbal and written information on the risks and benefits of circumcision following the guidelines of the Ad Hoc Task Force on Circumcision at about the seventh month of pregnancy; group 2 was not given any special counseling. There were 181 couples: 97 in group 1 and 84 in group 2; both populations were closely matched. There was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of circumcision in these two groups. The implications of these findings are discussed.