Main Article Content
Experience With Immediate Post-partum Circumcision
Abstract
Circumcision of males amongst most ethnic groups in Nigeria is often carried out at about the 8th day after delivery, when the umbilical stump must have fallen off.
Our aim is to study the acceptability, practicability and outcome of circumcision in male babies immediately after birth.
This prospective study was carried out at St. Victoria Specialist Hospital, Ekwulobia, Anambra State, Nigeria, a rural- based hospital serving a rural community and Mac Benson Specialist Hospital Onitsha, an urban-based hospital serving an urban community.
67 consecutive male babies who were delivered at St. Victoria Specialist Hospital Ekwulobia as well as 52 consecutive male babies who were delivered at Mac Benson Specialist Hospital Onitsha between 1st January 2002 and 31st December 2002 were assessed for the possibility of offering them circumcision immediately after birth. Out of a total of 119 male babies, 17 were excluded for a number of reasons. The remaining 102 babies were recruited into this study and were circumcised immediately they were delivered using the Plastibell (Hollister Ltd, USA) method. No complications were recorded soon after the circumcision, and after more than one year of follow-up. Immediate post-partum circumcision is practicable and devoid of any serious complications if babies and plastibell (Hollister Ltd, USA) sizes are properly selected. Therefore, it is likely to become easily and widely acceptable.
Key words: Immediate, post-partum, circumcision, acceptability.
Nigerian Medical Practitioner Vol.47(1-2) 2005: 9-11
Our aim is to study the acceptability, practicability and outcome of circumcision in male babies immediately after birth.
This prospective study was carried out at St. Victoria Specialist Hospital, Ekwulobia, Anambra State, Nigeria, a rural- based hospital serving a rural community and Mac Benson Specialist Hospital Onitsha, an urban-based hospital serving an urban community.
67 consecutive male babies who were delivered at St. Victoria Specialist Hospital Ekwulobia as well as 52 consecutive male babies who were delivered at Mac Benson Specialist Hospital Onitsha between 1st January 2002 and 31st December 2002 were assessed for the possibility of offering them circumcision immediately after birth. Out of a total of 119 male babies, 17 were excluded for a number of reasons. The remaining 102 babies were recruited into this study and were circumcised immediately they were delivered using the Plastibell (Hollister Ltd, USA) method. No complications were recorded soon after the circumcision, and after more than one year of follow-up. Immediate post-partum circumcision is practicable and devoid of any serious complications if babies and plastibell (Hollister Ltd, USA) sizes are properly selected. Therefore, it is likely to become easily and widely acceptable.
Key words: Immediate, post-partum, circumcision, acceptability.
Nigerian Medical Practitioner Vol.47(1-2) 2005: 9-11
