During the Kate Middleton and Prince William royal baby crazy, we've learned his name, the gifts received, but do we really need to know if the heir to the throne will circumcised?
The answer is apparently yes, as Kensington And Chelsea Review editor Coco Khan and pediatrician Dr. Harvey Karp talked to HuffPost Live about Prince George potentially undergoing the procedure.
There is a history of circumcision in the royal family, Khan told Huff Post Live.: "It's a tradition that's about 150 years old, and by British standards, 150 years old isn't a tradition. It started with George I, ... and then it was carried on by Victoria ... [who] basically got it into her head that her children were the sons of David. ... That was carried on and then Diana put a stop to it. So it's very unlikely we're going to be seeing [circumcision] this time around."
The American Academy of Pediatrics's has recently revised their circumcision guidelines. They did not recommend parents to have their boys to undergo the procedure, but the option is still available.
According to the Huffington Post, there are people who believe the practice should be stopped. There are risks of complications associated with procedure, including death, but they are reportedly very low. Studies show the most common risks from circumcision were bleeding, infection and penile injury.
Karp explained to HuffPost Live why the surgery is still performed.
"Traditions are hard to break. ... Now, actually, we're kind of coming into a newer phase where there is medical evidence that has been accumulating that argues that circumcision may be healthier in the long run," Karp said. "There have been studies that show that the foreskin can trap viruses, fungus and bacteria underneath it ... [and] that predisposes babies to urinary tract infections and to infections of the head of the penis itself."
The surgical procedure reportedly lowers risks of venereal diseases, but the benefits of circumcision are unknown.
Khan told HuffPost the royal baby's circumcision may start a new trend.
"Everybody's going to be calling it the Prince George," Khan said.
