Male Circumcision and Sexual Enjoyment of the Female Partner

Male circumcision can be defined as the surgical removal of the entire foreskin or just a part of it from the penis. Foreskin is primarily responsible for protecting the penis and also contributes in providing sexual sensations. Circumcision is typically performed on babies for religious and cultural reasons. At times, circumcision is also performed for medical reasons. Circumcision is known to lower the risk of contracting HIV and urinary tract infections in men. However, numerous studies suggest that circumcision can have negative consequences on sexual pleasure and fulfillment in females.

Various studies have been conducted which suggest that:

• During intercourse, male circumcision can worsen female vaginal dryness.

• A study conducted by O’ Hara and O’ Hara concludes that women who have had intercourse with both circumcised and uncircumcised men prefer uncircumcised partners in the ratio of 8.6 to one. In their study, it was found that 85.5% women were more likely to have an orgasm with uncircumcised men.

Negative effects of Male circumcision on Female Sexuality

Listed below are conclusions from various studies about the negative effects of male circumcision on female sexuality.

• Vaginal dryness: It has been found that women experience more vaginal dryness and discomfort while having intercourse with a circumcised partner. Normally the head of the penis resides under the protective covering of the foreskin. However, after circumcision, the head of the penis is constantly exposed to the touch of clothing and this makes it lose its gliding action and also makes it relatively dry. This, in turn, aggravates the vaginal dryness of the female, causing her discomfort.

• Aggressive and painful thrusting: Circumcision causes desensitization of the penis. As a result, it requires more intense stimulation for a circumcised penis to reach an orgasm. Intercourse in circumcised men is therefore often associated with more aggressive and excessive thrusting.

• Less multiple orgasms with circumcised partners: The study conducted by O’ Hara and O’ Hara also reported that women often find it difficult to get an orgasm with circumcised partners. Some other women reported that they found it difficult to get multiple orgasms with circumcised partners.

• Avoiding the use of condoms: A survey conducted in Australia reports that since circumcised men have less sensitivity of the penis, they are more likely to avoid the use of condoms. This increases the risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases and undesired, unplanned pregnancy in women.

• Incomplete sexual fulfillment: A study conduced in Denmark in 2011 reported that circumcised men are more likely to report more number of partners and frequent orgasm difficulties in comparison to uncircumcised men. Moreover, women who had circumcised partners were more likely to report incomplete sexual fulfillment.

• Emotional impact of circumcision: Certain studies have also reported that with circumcised partners, women often tend to feel distanced, unappreciated, and discontented. On the contrary, if the partners are uncircumcised, women tend to feel more relaxed, intimate, and ‘complete as a woman’. This does not imply that women with circumcised partners do not have an emotionally and sexually satisfied life. It only implies that the degree of satisfaction is more with an uncircumcised partner.

References

• “The effect of male circumcision on the sexual enjoyment of the female partner." by K. O'HARA and J. O'HARA. Published in Volume 83, Supplement 1, January 1999 edition of BJU International, accessed on 4 August 2015. Retrieved from: http://dx.doi.org/10.1046/j.1464-410x.1999.0830s1079.x