How common is circ in China?

[RJones1204]

Dh and I have some Christian missionary friends in China. They found out they were pregnant a few months before moving there. They had their baby boy at a local hospital. They speak fluent chinease and have lived in the culture on and off for years. They are very much apart of their local community. My question is how common is circumcision in China for the locals? Is it more common for Americans that live there?

I am praying, praying, praying that their LO was saved from this unnecessary surgery.

[eepster]

I don't know about Americans living in China, but circ is pretty much unheard of in Chinese culture.  It was occasionally done by British Drs in hong Kong while under British rule but never routinely.

[erin23kate]

Less than 1% for babies.

2.7% among boys.

It's generally only done as a religious rite to pre-pubescent boys, much like Turkey.

China: Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region and Yunnan Province - 19.9% [Sullivan et al., 2009]. Boys aged 11 to 18 in Chongqing – 17% [Yang et al., 2009]. Four regions of China, 2.7% amongst boys aged 3-23 [Ben et al., 2008].

[Night_Nurse]

I don't think it's safe to assume someone won't circ because they are in a country where circ is so low. I read blogs all the time from missionaries in other countries and they actively seek out pediatric surgeons to circ their boys. Sometimes they'll wait 6 months or so until they are back visiting family in the states and set up a circ then. You may want to send them some links that mention ease of foreskin care or foreskin function if you think they might be interested.