General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: CDC: Circumcision Benefits Outweigh Risks [View all]FunkyLeprechaun
(2,383 posts)Is circumcision actually increases the incident of UTIs compared to keeping the penis intact. Compared to intact females, it is extraordinarily rare for intact males to get UTIs, unless their foreskin was forcibly retracted when they were infants (the foreskin is fused to the glans, much like a fingernail is fused to our nail beds, in newborn baby boys, it doesn't fully retract until they are at least 10-20 years old), because their UT opening is well away from the body, compared to a female's UT in relation to her body.
This is due to the meatus opening (the very opening at the tip of the penis). In an intact male, the meatus is wider and provides greater access for the egress of urine. In a circumcised male, the meatus shrinks and leads to meatal stenosis which constricts the deposit of urine and leads to UTIs. Circumcised males often need surgery to fix this problem.
It's also the reason why catheters are difficult to insert in circumcised males versus intact males.