How Male Circumcision Can Help Reduce HIV Infections in Canada

Male circumcision refers to the removal of the foreskin from the penis. With the levels of HIV infection rising in most countries across the world, male circumcision has been fronted as one of the avenues through which the spread of the deadly virus may be combated. Several studies have been done to determine the viability of going for the cut as a measure of preventing the spread of HIV in Canada, and so far, some conclusions have been reached. They are as follows:

Men who have sex with women

Regarding men who have sex with women, male circumcision does provide protection for HIV negative men at risk of getting the virus, when they have sex with infected women. Studies done in South and East Africa revealed that circumcised men were approximately 60% less likely to get the virus than uncircumcised men. Such men also had a lower risk of getting other sexually transmitted diseases such as syphilis, herpes, and human papillomavirus.

Women who have sex with men

Concerning women who have sex with men who are at higher risk of getting infected by the virus through vaginal sex, there is no protection against HIV. Even though a circumcised man has a lower risk of getting infected by the virus through vaginal sex, an HIV positive circumcised man does not share similar risks when it comes to passing the virus on to another partner.

Men who have sex with men

For this category, male circumcision does not offer any kind of protection, whatsoever. These are the reasons why there seems to be an increase in the rate of infection amongst men who have sex with men. Irrespective of the form or nature of such a king of sex, if one partner is infected, there are higher chances that the other partner will also get infected if no protection is used.