Informal survey

[mommy2caroline]

I just want to find out, from those of you who have given birth to boys in a hospital...

1. Did anyone come ask if you wanted to circ after you'd said "NO" in the birth plan or other paperwork? Did anyone try to coerce you to change your mind?
2. Did the doctor/nurse who brought the consent form explain the procedure?
3. Did he or she explain risks vs. benefits (and if so, was it accurate)?
4. Is circ covered by your insurance?
5. What state do you live in, and in what year was your experience?

I am curious as to how much lack of info is given in the hospitals... trying to wrap my mind around why so many parents do it blindly. I have a feeling that it is due to a lot of them getting no info in the hospital, from it being assumed that they will circ their sons, and that, combined with the cultural attitude, makes many people never even think to question it.

I know people who think docs are all infallible, and that they would never fail to give important info...

[+stella+]

1. Did anyone come ask if you wanted to circ after you'd said "NO" in the birth plan or other paperwork? Did anyone try to coerce you to change your mind?

Nope, the hospital I deliver in does not perform them.

2. Did the doctor/nurse who brought the consent form explain the procedure?
Nope, see above.

3. Did he or she explain risks vs. benefits (and if so, was it accurate)?
Never had this conversation, if one wants it done they speak with their pediatrician, I filled out a form at mine that said my son was intact and the peds never said a thing about it.

4. Is circ covered by your insurance?

I dont know, I have looked, but I never found specific stuff about circumcision.

5. What state do you live in, and in what year was your experience?

Arizona, sept 04.


One thing though, on the discharge class the nurse said, "if you are not going to circumcise make sure you replace the foreskin down when cleaning your son". I just ignored it because I knew not to mess anyway, if I had more wits about me then I would have said something. I hope to homebirth in the future but if I ever find myself in that position again I will speak up and correct them, doubt they will like that too much but oh well.

[titania8]

no one said a thing to us in the hospital about it, that i can remember. though my memory of that time is not the greatest. we were there 5 days.

i don't know if its covered by my insurance, but given that we're in michigan i am almost 100% sure it is. i meant to call and ask, just to register a complaint about it if it is. i was actually thinking about it earlier, making a mental note to do it this week. though not tomorrow! mondays are the worst for calling insurance.

[TryingMyBest]

1. Did anyone come ask if you wanted to circ after you'd said "NO" in the birth plan or other paperwork? Did anyone try to coerce you to change your mind?

The OB/GYN's (that perform circs) give you the consent paperwork at your 38th week appointment. So, they supposedly already have your "choice and consent" on file. I guess that is financial security working in their favor.....diligent at it's protection it would seem. (btw, this is in Georgia) Noone tried to coerce or change our minds. The closest is that the surgeon was very open about MGM. He asked me if I wanted to know how he "felt" about circumcision. I said "yes"...He said "Well, it's Class 1 Genital Mutiliation, ritualistic in the US and had no medical benefit...but with that said, I have done over 2500 circumcisions and at one point I even calculated the number of lbs in foreskin that I have removed..." Needless to say...my jaw hit the floor. HE is the reason that I first thought about circumcision...why he is still cutting I don't know.

2. Did the doctor/nurse who brought the consent form explain the procedure?

NO, the person that handed me the consent form was a nurse taking my blood pressure. She said "Are you planning to circumcise your son?" "These are the consent forms if so..." They wanted an answer then, so it was sign and go back on it...or don't sign at all and say NO. She did not discuss one thing of the procedure with me. I had to ask every question that begrudgingly and inaccurately answered.

3. Did he or she explain risks vs. benefits (and if so, was it accurate)?

Absolutely NOT. Even in the hospital the only mention of risks was that the surgeon had done over 2500 of them and that they didn't really have problems. We barely..if even at all touched on risk. As for benefit, the surgeon (min before he was supposed to do the circ) said that there were NO medical benefits. Now, how is that for a stroke of honesty...?

4. Is circ covered by your insurance?

Yes, but only in the hospital. After you leave (if not agreed upon for a later date with your doctor) it is considered an elective surgery and NOT covered.

5. What state do you live in, and in what year was your experience?

August of 2007, Georgia. (The other ones are not as fresh in my mind...but I will try to remember...one was a plastibell dellusion...still makes me mad. With that one I was not told a THING about the risks or infection rates...and I was led to believe that the string handled the skin..rather than a scalpel. UGhghghghghghhghghghgh)

[kblackstone444]

First of all, I circumscised my son because I was young and stupid : , but I'll answer these questions anyways...

1. Did anyone come ask if you wanted to circ after you'd said "NO" in the birth plan or other paperwork? Did anyone try to coerce you to change your mind?

One of the nurses approached me and told me where to sign so they can "get the circumscision out of the way so I could enjoy my baby".

2. Did the doctor/nurse who brought the consent form explain the procedure?

Not exactly. When I insisted on pain killers (I should have phrased that better- anesthesia), they assued me they "always give them something for the pain". Turned out they gave him some Motrin or Tylenol about 20 minutes after it was over.

3. Did he or she explain risks vs. benefits (and if so, was it accurate)?

No risks explained except for "slight discomfort for a few days". (I was such a MORON! As for benefits, the closest I got to that was the nurse saying, "Oh, he's gonna look like Daddy now." Ugh.

4. Is circ covered by your insurance?

It was covered 100%

5. What state do you live in, and in what year was your experience?

It was Massachusetts in 1995.

And yes, I did it blindly. :

[broodymama]

1. Did anyone come ask if you wanted to circ after you'd said "NO" in the birth plan or other paperwork? Did anyone try to coerce you to change your mind?
Yes, the other CNM in the practice called back to my room the day I was discharged and asked if I wanted him circumcised. : That was the only other time it was mentioned, though, and I wouldn't say that anyone tried to coerce me.

2. Did the doctor/nurse who brought the consent form explain the procedure?
I didn't give her the chance. As soon as she mentioned the word circumcision I told her that I was not having it done and she happily ripped up the consent paperwork, and said she wished she had known more about it before her sons were born.

3. Did he or she explain risks vs. benefits (and if so, was it accurate)?
n/a

4. Is circ covered by your insurance?
Yes, we have Tricare.

5. What state do you live in, and in what year was your experience?
Georgia, 2004

[Greeneyes0506]

1. Did anyone come ask if you wanted to circ after you'd said "NO" in the birth plan or other paperwork? Did anyone try to coerce you to change your mind?

Yes, I was asked several times after telling them no. No one ever tried to change my mind, but once nurse did comment that it was good that I didn't and my DS was beautiful just the way he was born.

2. Did the doctor/nurse who brought the consent form explain the procedure?


When the doctor and resident came to ask they didn't tell me anything. They were ready to just wheel him out of the room.

3. Did he or she explain risks vs. benefits (and if so, was it accurate)?


No

4. Is circ covered by your insurance?


Yes Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield

5. What state do you live in, and in what year was your experience?


New York, September 2006

[SweetTeach]

No to questions 1-4, NYC 2005

[HeidiAnn67]

1. Did anyone come ask if you wanted to circ after you'd said "NO" in the birth plan or other paperwork? Did anyone try to coerce you to change your mind? N/A sadly all 3 of my boys are circ'd

2. Did the doctor/nurse who brought the consent form explain the procedure? NO! Until I came here I never even realized that the forskin is attached to the "head" (sorry, can't remember the proper word off the top of my head). Since realizing just how the procedure is done I'm horrified I had that done to my boys. I honostly thought it was just a simple "snip"

3. Did he or she explain risks vs. benefits (and if so, was it accurate)? No, nothing was explained to me

4. Is circ covered by your insurance? It did cover my first 2 (they are much older). With my 3rd I started hearing about insurances not covering it anymore so I had dh call and ask. They told us it WOULD NOT be covered. They were adament about this. Well, we had it done and were never billed for it (we were expecting to be) so I'm not sure how that worked itself out

5. What state do you live in, and in what year was your experience? I live in New Hampshire. My 2 oldest were born in 1987 and 1991. My youngest was born in 2003.

[A&A]

I don't know whether or not my insurance covers it.

The pediatrician who checked my son in the hospital did ask us WHEN (not if) we could do the circ. We of course told him to get lost!

He was the only one who asked about it, though. Utah, 2002.

[phdmama06]

1. Did anyone come ask if you wanted to circ after you'd said "NO" in the birth plan or other paperwork? Did anyone try to coerce you to change your mind?

Yes - the OB came in with the consent form and asked me if I wanted to have DS circumcised. I said "no thanks." He left. I didn't hear anything else about it until a couple of hours before I was discharged. The pedi said to me "you didn't want your son circumcised, did you?" I politely said "no" again, and she smiled and dropped it. Nobody tried to coerce me.

2. Did the doctor/nurse who brought the consent form explain the procedure?

No, but I said "no" pretty quickly. I don't know what would have happened had I said "yes."

3. Did he or she explain risks vs. benefits (and if so, was it accurate)?

No. The only explanation I received was a sheet in the packet of info I received during my first prenatal visit. It gave the AAP's policy about circumcision verbatim and emphasized again in its own words that circumcision is a personal choice for the parents to make.

4. Is circ covered by your insurance?

I'm not sure. I'd be curious to know.

5. What state do you live in, and in what year was your experience?

North Carolina, it was this year.

[fruitful womb]

1. Did anyone come ask if you wanted to circ after you'd said "NO" in the birth plan or other paperwork? Did anyone try to coerce you to change your mind?

Oh you mean did they come to you and say, "Would you like for me to cosmetically alter your ds's genitals so he looks nice and erect, horny and pretty?"

The exposed glans resembles the erect. When the intact male gets aroused his glans become uncovered.


The pediatrician asked me if I wanted my ds circumcised during her interview when I was 30wks. I said yes because I didn't know any better. Thats expected of someone from the American culture. I bet you if she never asked me I wouldn't have given it a thought. I had more time to think about it after she asked me till the time of my ds birth. No real answers like the CAC or ANY information for that matter!

I talked about it while I was in the beginning stages of my labor. I don't remember how the conversation came up. I told the labor nurse that, "I DON'T want my ds circumcised, but my dh does.":


When they all heard me say that, the staff treated me with utmost disrespect and I ended up with a traumatic birth experience.

2. Did the doctor/nurse who brought the consent form explain the procedure?

No.

It was a "Don't say anything unless they ask" policy. I know this because the circumciser's nurse that told me this when I called to speak with the circumciser herself. The mutilator refused to talk to me..:
IF PARENTS DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT IN THE FIRST PLACE HOW ARE THEY SUPPOSE TO KNOW WHAT TO ASK!!!!!

3. Did he or she explain risks vs. benefits (and if so, was it accurate)?

NO ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!!!

4. Is circ covered by your insurance?

Yes.

5. What state do you live in, and in what year was your experience?

Texas, April 2000

[smeep]

I gave birth out of a hospital, but my dad who works for a low-income hospital health system (Parkland) says that they often get women bringing their babies into the clinic for newborn checkups and say, "Oh, well the baby wasn't circumcised at the hospital, why?" and my dad usually explains how they only do it if the parent specifically asks for it, and that it's totally unnecessary anyways and that it's just cosmetic and can be done at any age for that reason. So, I don't know about other hospitals around here, but it sounds like Parkland is pretty smart when it comes to circumcision, overall at least. I have a friend who birthed with them and, as far as I know, they never even mentioned it to her (she left him intact). As far as I know Medicaid doesn't cover circumcision now anyways and I doubt there are any non-Medicaid patients giving birth at Parkland, so I think I can safely pretend that there are crickets chirping around the circumcision tools and stuff. lol

[smeep]

Originally Posted by titania8

no one said a thing to us in the hospital about it, that i can remember. though my memory of that time is not the greatest. we were there 5 days.

i don't know if its covered by my insurance, but given that we're in michigan i am almost 100% sure it is. i meant to call and ask, just to register a complaint about it if it is. i was actually thinking about it earlier, making a mental note to do it this week. though not tomorrow! mondays are the worst for calling insurance.

Make sure to point out to them that RIC is NOT beneficial, it's ONLY cosmetic, and it'll save them a bundle if they refuse to cover it. You'd think insurance companies would be jumping at the chance to toss it off their list.

[fruitful womb]

Originally Posted by smeep

Make sure to point out to them that RIC is NOT beneficial, it's ONLY cosmetic, and it'll save them a bundle if they refuse to cover it. You'd think insurance companies would be jumping at the chance to toss it off their list.

OT:
I need to do a little more research on the insurance issue b/c I talked to my insurance company last week about this and she told me, its the employer that has the power in weather they cover it or not. She thought I was stupid I guess. The employer chooses our benefits.: I still don't believe that. How do I get into the bureaucracy?

[hipumpkins]

1. Did anyone come ask if you wanted to circ after you'd said "NO" in the birth plan or other paperwork? Did anyone try to coerce you to change your mind?

No but they really didn't have a chance. Everytime someone said they needed to take my baby I said "DO NOT CIRCUMCISE HIM" They actually must have thought I was crazy b/c there were posters on the walls about the days that circs were performed.
When we went for our first well baby check though, my ped asked me why I didn't circ in a "that's strange" sort of tone.

2. Did the doctor/nurse who brought the consent form explain the procedure? I got no forms and no one mentioned to me See reply to #1

3. Did he or she explain risks vs. benefits (and if so, was it accurate)? N/A

4. Is circ covered by your insurance? I'm not sure but if I had to guess I would say yes. We have a big nmae company through DH's job.

5. What state do you live in, and in what year was your experience? NJ 2005

[fruitful womb]

Originally Posted by smeep

I gave birth out of a hospital, but my dad who works for a low-income hospital health system (Parkland) says that they often get women bringing their babies into the clinic for newborn checkups and say, "Oh, well the baby wasn't circumcised at the hospital, why?" and my dad usually explains how they only do it if the parent specifically asks for it, and that it's totally unnecessary anyways and that it's just cosmetic and can be done at any age for that reason. So, I don't know about other hospitals around here, but it sounds like Parkland is pretty smart when it comes to circumcision, overall at least. I have a friend who birthed with them and, as far as I know, they never even mentioned it to her (she left him intact). As far as I know Medicaid doesn't cover circumcision now anyways and I doubt there are any non-Medicaid patients giving birth at Parkland, so I think I can safely pretend that there are crickets chirping around the circumcision tools and stuff. lol

WOW!!! Thats good news!

[fruitful womb]

Originally Posted by +stella+

Nope, the hospital I deliver in does not perform them.

5. What state do you live in, and in what year was your experience?

Arizona, sept 04.

You are SO LUCKY!!!!

[blsilva]

1. Did anyone come ask if you wanted to circ after you'd said "NO" in the birth plan or other paperwork? Did anyone try to coerce you to change your mind?
2. Did the doctor/nurse who brought the consent form explain the procedure?
3. Did he or she explain risks vs. benefits (and if so, was it accurate)?
4. Is circ covered by your insurance?
5. What state do you live in, and in what year was your experience?


Well, we were never asked in the hospital where we had our oldest, and they never brought the consent form or even mentioned it at all. We live in California, gave birth in 2002. This could be due to our midwife, though. She asked us in the office when we first saw her, and when we said we were not circing, she gave a big sigh of relief, and said, "okay, then I don't have to give you this packet."
Apparently she had done a thesis (or similar) on circumcision, and was completely against it, so she was going to inform us as well.

Insurance: I just looked, and they do cover it.

Ds2 was born in a birth center with midwives and an ob who also think circ is barbaric. No issues there.

[ared1]

1. Did anyone come ask if you wanted to circ after you'd said "NO" in the birth plan or other paperwork? Actually, they came in and said we are here to take the baby for his circ. I said really? Do you have a signed consent form? She said no (after shuffling through papers) and I said No you don't now get the Fark out of my room and don't touch my baby!
Did anyone try to coerce you to change your mind?
Yes I asked a minimum of 6x within 15min of him being born when I wanted the circ done. my OB told me that my son would be picked on and the rate of circ in our area was 90%.

2. Did the doctor/nurse who brought the consent form explain the procedure?No absolutely not.

3. Did he or she explain risks vs. benefits (and if so, was it accurate)?
No. They asked me why I wasn't going to circ and then my OB asked me how to take care of an intact penis!
4. Is circ covered by your insurance? It was at the time? I think? I knew I wasn't doing it so I didn't check.

5. What state do you live in, and in what year was your experience?
Indiana and that was 2002. In 2004 when my other son was born I was only asked 1x by one nurse and then they put a neon green sticker in his bassinette that said NO CIRC. My OB still asked though.