Mom-to-be got 'circumcision-shamed' by a nurse during a doctor's appointment

One mom-to-be took to the "Parenting" subreddit to air some frustration at the way she was treated at her OBGYN. She went for her 32-week check-up, not expecting to be "circumcision-shamed" by a nurse, but it happened.

Choosing whether to circumcise your baby isn't really one of those issues that you think much about until the time comes. For many years, it was extremely popular in the U.S. because it was perceived to be more hygienic. But the national rate of newborn circumcision dropped between 1979 and 2010, and other industrialized nations don't seem to do it as much as people in the U.S., according to CafeMom.

Suffice it to say, the decision should be one of personal preference. And OP had made her decision. The nurse during her appointment asked her about the forms she needed to register at the hospital, including the circumcision form.

She "politely" told the nurse she didn't need that one. Then, the nurse said, "Honestly, I don't know why we have a form for it. They should just automatically do it to everyone. I can't imagine why some people don't circumcise their sons. It's just so disgusting. I have three boys and of course they've all been circumcised."

She said this after OP declined to fill out the form!! Look, it's fine to have your own opinion, but when you're at work, as a nurse for an OBGYN, maybe keep it to yourself! 

OP didn't want a confrontation, so she just said, "Well, I guess not everyone feels that way," and tried to change the subject. But inside, she was fuming.

"It just pisses me off that a 'medical professional' who should be non-biased on personal choices feels the need to inject her opinion in my son's life," she writes. Uh yeah. I would be pissed off too.

I don't know if there's a consensus when it comes to the medical recommendations for circumcision. It really seems like a personal choice. If a doctor feels strongly either way, they could sit down and talk with the parents-to-be to explain their position and recommendation and discuss pros and cons. That would be the responsible thing to do.

It's definitely not cool for a nurse to claim that not circumcising your newborn baby is "disgusting" right after you've declined the form. What is with some people?!

OP asked if this or something like this happened to anyone else, and the comments were immediate. "After I had my son every nurse that came in the room asked if I scheduled the circumcision. I had to keep telling them I wasn’t doing it. It got awkward after the third time," one mom wrote.

"When I had both of my boys they pushed it," another mom wrote. "Everyone that came into the room asked if it was going to get done. I’m surprised it didn’t get 'done by accident.'"

"Healthcare worker here!" another person wrote. "I’ve heard of this happening before, and it’s pretty common. Honestly, I would report her to your doctor. Obviously, healthcare professionals are allowed to have their own opinions on things, but they shouldn’t be broadcasted to patients." This times a thousand.

It seems this is an issue about which everyone has a strong opinion. But there seem to be pros and cons to each side, so the least nurses can do is keep their judgy opinions to themselves during medical appointments!

This article was originally published on May 26, 2020. It has since been updated.