I don't have boys, so not an issue for me, but my partner was listening to the radio the other day, and heard something very interesting about uncircumcised men and the increased risk of HIV infection to them.

Apparently, most men who contract HIV are not circumcised.  The virus is not just bodily fluid born, it can also penetrate through thin membranes, much like the ones around the foreskins of men.

By removing the foreskin, you remove the membranes and folds of skin and because the remaining skin toughens up, the virus can't enter through the penis any more.

I just asked him if he had come across it on the net, but sadly, it was the radio, or I would give you a link to it.

Personally, I prefer circumcised men, but if I had a boy, would be letting them decide when they are older, before becoming sexually active, as it is not my body and I feel strongly about them having as much info to make their own informed choices.

My partner is circumcised (more proof he is a dinosaur! lmao!) and he has had no issues with infections etc

I have one other comment  you may wish to consider regarding circumcision, I am a nurse, and find that older males who can no longer preform hygiene care for themselves often have not had adequate hygiene care attended to at this area as many wives (carers) and untrained personally are not aware of how  to attend hygiene to an uncircumsized penis. For this reason and the evidence in STD reduction and urinary tract infections I think Circumcision is a good thing. But do remember it is an operation and with all surgical procedures there are risks involved.

its a 50/50 thing. i have strong feelings for this topic but its a hot topic here.

i believe it stops infection. the missionaries went to places like africa and that and the HIV was very high so they cirumcised the boys and got the people to become christians and the risk of HIV went from very hight to about 30% (my hubby told me this)

if you research the topic you will get better numbers.

Just the other day, I read a report that circumcised men are 80% less likely to contract HIV if they have sex with an infected person.

There was a study done on bladder infections in infants and the circumsized boys did have a reduced chance of getting a bladder infection - though we are talking .1% for circumsized boys and 1% in uncircumsized boys - so either way the risk is very small.  And the study was a bit flawed because it was done in a military hospital and included in the group of uncircumcised boys were boys that were not circumsized because they were born prematurally and it was seen as too high risk.  These babies were already at a higher risk of infection due to thier vulnerable status as premies! There have been studies showing that uncircumsized men are more likely to contract HIV and other STDs but circumcision does NOT prevent the contraction of these diseases.  A condom is equally effective on men that are circumsized and uncircumsized for preventing infections.