The World Health Organization recommends male circumcision as an important element in HIV prevention programs, and the procedure is promoted in high-risk heterosexual populations. While the benefits of circumcision are well-documented (they also include reduced rates of urinary tract infection, penile cancer, and cervical cancer and chlamydia in female partners), there remains a concern that adult circumcision may impair sexual function.

A new study has found that adult circumcisions do not lead to sexual difficulties among men who were already sexually active. The study appears in the November 2008 issue of The Journal of Sexual Medicine the official journal of the International Society for Sexual Medicine.

The study group consisted of 2,684 men in Kisumu, Kenya between 2002 and 2005. Both groups underwent six detailed evaluations between one month and 24 months after circumcision. "More than 99 percent of the men studied reported that they were satisfied with their circumcision, and the majority of men reported both greater penile sensitivity, and easier use of condoms," said lead author John N. Krieger, M.D., of the University of Washington.

The results also showed no significant difference in the frequency of erectile dysfunction, inability to ejaculate, pain during intercourse or lack of pleasure during intercourse. Circumcised men also had progressively higher rates of sexual satisfaction over time.

"These findings are reassuring in view of current efforts to promote male circumcision to prevent HIV infections in some countries, particularly in eastern and southern Africa," say the authors. They also note that continued evaluation and counseling in HIV and sexually transmitted disease risk reduction remain critical.

"This topic has been highly controversial." says Irwin Goldstein, M.D., Editor-in-Chief of The Journal of Sexual Medicine. "I am pleased to be able to publish irrefutable evidence that circumcision does not have negative side effects regarding sexual health; rather it is quite the opposite."

To view the abstract for this article, please click here.

The Journal of Sexual Medicine is a peer-reviewed publication founded in 2004 and is the official journal of the International Society for Sexual Medicine, its five regional affiliated societies and the International Society for the Study of Women's Sexual Health. It publishes multi-disciplinary basic science and clinical research to define and understand the scientific basis of male and female sexual function and dysfunction. The Journal carries an Impact Factor of 6.199 and is ranked by the Thomson ISI Journal Citation Reports as the #1 urology publication in the Urology/Nephrology category worldwide. For more info, please visit http://www.jsm.issm.info.