non-circ and UTI's

[rugbymom]

Has anyone seen any research on whether not circ'ing increases odds of UTI? My DS is 9 weeks (not circ'ed) and has already had 1 and I believe he is getting another. I do not retract to clean (although the ER did to put a cath in when they were trying to figure out what the fever was from). I use cloth wipes wet with boiled water. When I'm out I use disposables. He is in the 7th Gen diapers. What am I doing wrong?

[Papai]

Does he have a urological condition that might be causing the UTIs?

[MCatLvrMom2A&X]

The foreskin has nothing to do with UTI's what I would be worried about for your ds is he may have urinary reflux that is the main cause of UTI in babies and young toddlers. Since he has already had one and you think he is getting another he should have the dye test done called a VCUG. Because left untreated repeat UTI can cause kidney damage.

Many dr's will tell you that circ should be done but they are wrong. The foreskin actually keeps stuff out of there.

When the VCUG is done make sure that no one retracts him. If you read the sticky at the top of the main page called The Definition of Retraction and Why it is BAD!! there is a paragraph there explaining how to do a proper cath. If they argue with you on it refuse the proceedure until they bring someone in from the NICU who has experiance with cathing a intact penis.

I cant stress enough how important it is that he not be retracted especially if he does have reflux. Doing so will make it to easy for bacteria to enter.

Here are some links on UTI and the intact penis.

UTI myth http://www.cirp.org/library/disease/UTI/
http://www.nocirc.org/statements/breastfeeding.php

In fact, UTI's are so rare in any case that, using Wiswell's data, 50 to 100 healthy boys would have to be circumcised in order to prevent a UTI from developing in only one patient. (Using more recent data from a better-controlled study, the number of unnecessary operations needed to prevent one hospital admission for UTI would jump to 195.

FORESKINS: Seek Elsewhere for Infants' Urinary Tract Infections
http://www.cirp.org/news/1997.12.22_PhysiciansWeekly/


UTI Neonatal circumcision revisited
http://www.cps.ca/english/statements...ION%20OF%20UTI

The incidence of Geniturinary abnormalities in circumcised and uncircumcised presenting with an initial urinary tract infection by 6 months of age
http://www.cirp.org/library/disease/UTI/mueller/
- Girls have a much greater risk of UTIs, yet we don't cut off parts of their genitals to prevent them.

[carriebft]

You may also want to contact either Doctors Opposing circumcision or the NOCIRC branch in your area to see if they have some recommendations for intact friendly urologists in your area.

[gcgirl]

Here is the American Academy of Pediatrics policy statement on circing, which includes info on UTIs (which are estimated to be a 10 times greater risk in intact males):

http://aappolicy.aappublications.org...rics;103/3/686

The most interesting part is where they say that even with the supposed increased risk (and they acknowledge weaknesses in the studies), the chances of a UTI are still less than 1% and therefore they still won't recommend routine circ.

First sentence: "Existing scientific evidence demonstrates potential medical benefits of newborn male circumcision; however, these data are not sufficient to recommend routine neonatal circumcision."

[bluegrassgirl]

Some babies are just more prone to UTI's than others, especially if their mom or dad had them frequently as children and teenagers. My brother has had a couple UTI's in his life, and he is circumcised.

The only people I have actually heard about that are at an increased risk for UTI's if they are uncircumcised are people with spina bifida or spinal cord injuries, and that's because most of them have to use intermittent or Foley catheters all the time, which increases the risk of a UTI. I have a friend who is uncircumcised and has spina bifida, and his urologist told him this recently. My boyfriend is uncircumcised and the only thing he finds annoying about it is when he uses a condom catheter (external catheter system), its hard to get one to stay on because of the foreskin, so he has to buy specialy made ones for uncircumcised males.

To tell you the truth, your son might have got the second UTI's from the ER actually inserting the catheter into him, since you are putting a foreign object into the body. You might also leave him without a diaper for a little bit to allow more air to circulate, so infectious bacertia is less likely to multiply.

Jessie
(single mommy to Emma, 3 1/2 years and Angela, 2 years)

[MCatLvrMom2A&X]

The AAP based there statement on a very old and very flawed study as well so keep that in mind.

[Microsoap]

For any new members/lurkers out there, I'd like to point out that females get a lot more UTIs than intact males (sorry, I don't have the exact number off hand), and THEY don't have anything cut off!!!

[Islay]

Originally Posted by MCatLvrMom2A&X

The AAP based there statement on a very old and very flawed study as well so keep that in mind.

Unfortunately, the 'pro' fraternity use this in-the-first-year myth as a sort of flagship for neonatal circumcision. It is a myth, though. And even on the debate board I frequent, the pro-circ posters no longer dwell on this argument.

I can speak with total assurance that male UTIs in pre-puberty youngsters are so rare as to be a non-issue. Once a male is sexually active he can become infected via his partner - but this applies to all males, intact or circumcised. The foreskin is not only self-cleansing but protective, too, from birth to death.

Of course, any foreskin abuse or urethral invasion presents risks of injury and/or infection.

Christopher

[MCatLvrMom2A&X]

How is your little one today?

[kldliam]

Premature retraction increase your child's chances of getting UTI's. The ignorance of the ER person is to blame in this case. i'd make sure to write a letter and complain bitterly. Sorry.

http://www.cirp.org/library/disease/UTI/