Is Male Circumcision a Violence against Men? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Authors

  • Elham Sadeghi PhD student of midwifery, Graduate institute, Istanbul University Cerrahpasa, Istanbul, Turkey
  • Hojjat Sayyadi Hojjat Sayyadi, Assistant professor in Biostatistics, Faculty of Health, Department of Biostatistics, Ilam University of Medical Sciences, Ilam, Iran

Keywords:

Male, Circumcision, Violence, Sexuality, Meta-Analysis, Review

Abstract

The influence of circumcision on sexual functions is still the topic of discussion. The purpose of the present study was to test the hypothesis of increased sexual dysfunction in circumcised men through a review of the literature and to perform a detailed synthesis of the available evidence in order to guide patients, parents and decision-makers on male circumcision. Searches were performed in the MEDLINE (PUBMED) and COCHRANE databases. Keywords were circumcision in combination with “sensitivity, erectile, ejaculation, orgasm, desire, satisfaction, or sex”. All publication types indexed in databases and English languages were accepted until 2019. The SATAT 11 software was employed for data analysis. 5 studies were included in the meta- analysis. All studies results were divided into five subgroups to evaluate the effect of circumcision on premature ejaculation (PE), sexual desire, erectile dysfunction (ED), orgasm difficulty and dyspareunia. There were no significant differences in PE (RR: 0.97; 95% CI: 0.87 1.08) and orgasm difficulty (RR: 0.83; 95% CI: 0.60 1.15) between circumcised and uncircumcised group. However, ED (RR: 0.77; 95% CI: 0.53 1.1) and pain during intercourse (RR: 0.89; 95% CI: 0.67 1.2) and sexual desire (RR: 0.93; 95% 62 CI: 0.81 1.06) between two groups. These results suggest that circumcision is unlikely to adversely affect male sexual status. Well-designed and prospective randomized control trial studies are required for a further understanding of this issue

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Published

2023-06-23

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