Rates of Complications After Newborn Circumcision in a Well-Baby Nursery, Special Care Nursery, and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Objective/Method. To determine rates of complications after newborn circumcision by performing a retrospective chart review of patients circumcised at a well-baby nursery, neonatal intensive care units (NICU), and special care nursery (SCN) from 2007 to 2012. Result. A total of 5129 babies (73%) were circumcised at the well-baby nursery and 1909 babies (27%) at the NICU and SCN. Forty-seven patients (0.67%, 95% CI 0.49% to 0.89%) had circumcision-related complications: 5 (0.07%) patients with acute and 42 (0.6%) with late complications. Babies in the NICU/SCN had increased odds of complication (OR 4.00, 95% CI 2.23 to 7.19) compared with those in well-baby nursery. There were increased odds of complications in babies with Caucasian ethnicity (OR 2.60, 95% CI 1.48 to 4.89) compared with African American babies and in babies with private insurance (OR 4.0, 95% CI 2.1 to 7.5) compared with nonprivate insurance. Conclusions. The rates of complications after newborn circumcisions were low. Babies in the NICU/SCN had increased odds of complication.