Circumcision- a new strategy?

Posted by Bethina Abrahams Dec 20, 2006

The National Institute of Health has found that circumcision can reduce the transmission of HIV. In two studies done in Uganda and Kenya, it was found that circumcision can reduce the transmission of HIV through heterosexual intercourse by 50%. As a result of these convincing findings, the Global Fund To Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief have touted circumcision as an important part of the efforts to curb the spread of AIDS. In the study, there was no difference in sexual behavior between the circumcised and uncircumcised participants.

Previous studies have indicated that circumcision can reduce the transmission of sexually transmitted diseases. In one study, women whose partners were circumcised were less likely to contract sexually transmitted diseases as compared to women whose partners were uncircumcised. However, there have been some methodological problems with some of these studies leading to continuing debate over circumcision.