Dad sues to prevent son's circumcision

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Dad sues to prevent son's circumcision
Judge's order temporarily blocks procedure

By Judy Peres
Tribune staff reporter
Published February 18, 2006


A Cook County judge Friday ordered a mother not to circumcise her 8-year-old son until the court can hear arguments from the child's father, who opposes the operation, and decide whether it is in the boy's best interests.

The mother, a 31-year-old homemaker from Northbrook, says two doctors have recommended the procedure to prevent recurrent infections. Her ex-husband, a 49-year-old building manager who lives in Arlington Heights, calls the operation an "unnecessary amputation" that could cause his son physical and emotional harm.

The Tribune is not naming the parents to protect the child's privacy.

Circumcision, in which the foreskin of the penis is surgically removed, usually before a newborn leaves the hospital, was extremely common in the U.S. during the last century. But the percentage of U.S. babies being circumcised has gone down from an estimated 90 percent in 1970 to some 60 percent today.
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http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/health/chi-0602180166feb18,1,5287597.story?coll=chi-news-hed