Circumcision isn't performed in Australian public hospitals unless it's to treat a condition like regular urinary tract infections (UTI's) or foreskin problems. But parents can request a non-medical circumcision through a private clinic.
About 1 in 10 newborn boys in Australia undergo circumcision in Australia today. Male circumcision has been performed for religious and cultural reasons for thousands of years.
A urologist, obstetrician or pediatrician can do the circumcision on the newborn in the hospital. A healthcare provider can also perform it later, in the office. In a bris, a trained professional called a mohel performs the circumcision.
The cost of a circumcision procedure depends on the method that we use and age of the patient. The price for a circumcision procedure starts from $385 'out of pocket' with Medicare. Your Medicare rebate can be obtained via your myGov account. If your baby does not have a Medicare card, a circumcision starts at $611.
Procedure for circumcision
A bell-shaped instrument is inserted under the foreskin to separate it from the penis. The foreskin is then removed using scissors or a scalpel. Alternatively, circumcision can be performed as a formal surgical procedure, using dissolving sutures or tissue glue.
Circumcision will be painful for the baby or child, both at the time of the operation and for some days after. The Paediatrics & Child Health Division of The Royal Australasian College of Physicians(RACP) strongly recommends the use of pain relief both during and after the operation.
Circumcision Cost & Billing
The out of pocket cost for baby circumcision under 4 weeks of age is $450.00. As your son gets older this fee increases proportionally. The prices will change in different age category and the reason for this procedure. Please call us on 0468 760 222 for more details.
A circumcision can be performed by a paediatrician, family doctor, general surgeon or obstetrician but most adult circumcisions are performed by a urologist. Urologists specialise in the male reproductive system while having extensive surgical training.
To get this type of circumcision on the NHS, see your GP who will make a referral to a local hospital urology service. There is usually a delay to see the urologist for non-urgent referrals. The urologist will then examine you or your child to decide whether an alternative treatment might be useful.
From 1920-1970, circumcision was actively promoted in Australia. Most boys born in Australia around 1950 were circumcised. Since then, there has been a big move away from circumcision. Now less than 20% of Australian boys are circumcised.
Foreskins removed during hospital circumcisions are sometimes sold to biotech labs, since young skin is ideal for researching skin for burn vitamins, insulin manufacture, and also making skin creams for ladies. One infant foreskin can be grown into literally thousands of square feet of new tissue.
Circumcision can be done at any age. Traditionally, the most common time to do it is soon after your baby is born, or within the first month of life. Because the process is painful, a local anesthetic is used to numb the area and the surgery is performed while the baby is still awake.
After the circumcision has healed:
Occasionally a small piece of the foreskin remains. You should pull back this skin gently each time the child is bathed.
Anti-circumcision advocates argue that it is better to forgo the procedure in infancy and allow the child to make his own decision later on. As a result of this intuitive reasoning, rates of circumcision have fallen from about 85% in 1965 to roughly 58% in 2010, the latest year for which solid data is available.
The CDC researchers estimated total circumcision prevalence to be 80.5% (Table 1). Racial differences were apparent: Prevalence was 90.8% in non-Hispanic white, 75.7% in non-Hispanic black, and 44.0% in Mexican American males.
You should remain relatively inactive the first 72 hours following surgery. We do encourage walking around for a few minutes every two hours to maintain good circulation, but otherwise, no activity.
The healing time for each male is different, but you should allow at least six weeks. We can give you a letter for work or school if you require one, please ask at reception on the day. Patients with Balanitis Xerotica Obliterans (BXO) and/or an inflamed surgical site will require antibiotics orally and topically.
Always put the foreskin back to its normal position if it has been pulled back. This may happen during sex. Or you may pull it back before sex, before you urinate, or while you clean it. Be sure the foreskin is in its normal position after any doctor examination or procedure.
Avoiding eating or drinking at least 6 hours before surgery. But you may find that you are allowed a few sips of water beforehand. This applies to patients who are having a general anaesthetic. Clean and shave the pubic area (adult men).
In general, the cost of a circumcision is between $250 and $400. The cost is often divided into two bills: one for the procedure and one for the health care provider's time. Your insurance benefits will determine how much you will have to pay yourself.
Circumcision isn't required. If parents choose this for their baby, the procedure is usually done on the first or second day after birth in a healthy baby. However, it can be done within 10 days of birth. Circumcision is riskier and more complicated in infants older than 2 months of age and in older boys and men.
Sometimes there's a medical need for circumcision, such as when the foreskin is too tight to be pulled back (retracted) over the glans. In other cases, particularly in parts of Africa, circumcision is recommended for older boys or men to reduce the risk of certain sexually transmitted infections.