Circumcision is a common ritual practice in many traditional societies and often represents the achievement of a certain status. In North America and Israel the ablation of the foreskin is a regular procedure for all male newborns irrespective of any therapeutic indication; 400 babies are circumcised every hour in North America alone. Several Western countries have stopped routine neonatal circumcision and removed circumcision from the list of publically-funded procedures for which health benefits are available. In 1993, one such country, the UK, the circumcision rate has dropped to one half of one percent.
2. In a US survey of 149 families, parents who did not have their sons circumcised were twice as likely to later reconsider their decision. Twenty-seven percent felt unsatisfied with their decision, compared with 14% of parents who opted for circumcision. Overall, 37% of parents felt they were not given enough information about circumcision, and parents who said no to the procedure were more likely to feel this way.