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Circumcision decreases risk for heterosexual acquisition of HIV. But does it also protect against other sexually transmitted infections (STIs)? In this prospective, population-based study, researchers followed 535 New Zealand males beginning at age 3 years to compare rates of self-reported common STIs (chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, nonspecific urethritis, genital herpes, and genital warts) in circumcised and uncircumcised sexually experienced males at ages 21, 26, and 32.
Data were available for more than 90% of participants. Forty percent of the cohort were circumcised by age 3 years. At age 32, rates of ever having an STI were similar in the uncircumcised and circumcised groups (23.5% vs. 23.4%), even after adjusting for sexual behavior …