In-hospital circumcisions for newborn infants fluctuated over the past three decades and overall rates for circumcision declined by 10 percent, according to a new government report.
From 1979 to 2010, there has been a percentage decrease from 64.5 percent to 58.3 percent, according to the analysis presented by the National Center for Health Statistics. Circumcision is a surgical procedure in which the foreskin of the penis is removed.
"These numbers do not include circumcisions outside of hospitals for religious and other reasons," said Maria Owings, co-author of the study.
The World Health Organization confirmed that about 30 percent of males worldwide from 15 years old and above are circumcised.
The American Academy of Pediatrics revised its policy on circumcision last year saying that its health benefits outweigh potential risks.
"Numbers have gone up and down over the years, but there's insufficient data to tell if the most recent uptick, from 55.4 percent in 2007 and 58.3 percent in 2010 is significant," Owings told the USA Today.
She also noted that regional differences are more notable especially the sharp decline in Western states where the percentage of circumcision fell from 69.3 percent in 1979 to 40.2 percent in 2010.
According to the report, circumcision rates in the Midwest were at its highest in 2010 at 71 percent.
