Maldives' first scientific study on child circumcision safety links higher BMI to greater bleeding risk

New research conducted at Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) has found a significant link between health complications after circumcision in young boys and their height, weight and body mass index (BMI). The study was led by IGMH surgeon Dr Abdullah Ubaid and carried out between 7 June 2023 and 30 August 2023. It is described as the first scientific study of its kind conducted in the Maldives on the topic. It included 143 children who were registered for circumcision at IGMH's surgery department in July 2022. All children underwent surgery under the same standards, and their condition was closely monitored for 30 days after the operation using questionnaires and modern data-collection tools. Results showed that 57 percent of the children had a BMI between 14 and 19.9, while 31 percent had a BMI between 11 and 13.9. This indicates that most of the children circumcised were in good general health and had weight within an appropriate range. The most important finding, however, was that the higher a child's height and BMI, the greater the chance of bleeding after the operation. The report also stated that swelling complaints were very frequently observed among many children after surgery. Circumcision is a religious and culturally important practice in Islamic communities and one of the most commonly performed surgeries on young children worldwide. Complications after the operation generally occur at rates between 0.2 percent and 12.6 percent, with bleeding, infection and swelling the most commonly observed. Concluding the study, Dr Ubaid noted that height, weight and especially BMI play a very major role in the success of circumcision and in reducing risks. He said the findings would provide very significant assistance to Maldivian doctors and health workers in further perfecting such operations in the future and carrying them out safely.