The CDC fails to consider that many medical procedures, even those that are described as routine, are often experienced as traumatic by children and adolescents (Levine & Kline, 2007). Circumcision, for example, clearly meets the clinical definition of trauma because it involves a violation of physical integrity.

Does circumcision cause trauma?

As usually performed without analgesia or anaesthetic, circumcision is observably painful. It is likely that genital cutting has physical, sexual and psychological consequences too. Some studies link involuntary male circumcision with a range of negative emotions and even post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Do babies feel pain during circumcision?

Newborns do feel pain, but they seem to get through the procedure easier than older children do. In newborns, we numb the penis and perform the procedure in the hospital nursery while the baby is awake. We use a clamp technique, which does have a small risk of bleeding.