442 | CIRCUMCISION Boys are born with a hood of skin, called the foreskin, covering the head of the penis. Circumcision is the surgical removal of the foreskin (prepuce) from the penis. The cir- cumcision generally heals in five to seven days. Parents who decide circumcision often do so based on religious beliefs, concerns about hygiene, or cultural or social reasons. Approximately, 55% to 65% of all newborn boys are circumcised in the United States each year. Strong evidence demonstrates that circumcision decreases the risk of HIV (AIDS) infection in heterosexual men by 38% to 66% in populations that are at high risk. The World Health Organization current- ly recommends circumcision be recognized as an intervention as part of a comprehen- sive program for prevention of HIV trans- mission in areas with high endemic rates of HIV. Other health benefits of circumcision include a decreased risk of urinary tract in- fections, a diminished risk of sexually trans- mitted diseases in men, protection against penile cancer, and a decreased risk of cervi- cal cancer in female sex partners. See page 423 for full-text article STRESS URINARY INCONTINENCE IN WOMEN To hold urine and control urination, the lower uri- nary tract and nervous system need to be working normally. Stress urinary incontinence is when sneez- ing, coughing, or laughing causes accidental urine leaks. Stress urinary incontinence can happen at any age and it is amazingly common, affecting one in three women at some point in their lives. For some women, the risk of public embarrassment keeps them from enjoying many activities with their family and friends. Urine loss can also occur during sexual activ- ity and cause tremendous emotional distress. Inconti- nence occurs because of problems with muscles and nerves that help to hold or release urine. Stress uri- nary incontinence is fundamentally caused by insuf- ficient strength of the pelvic floor muscles. There are several forms of effective treatment, including life- style changes, such as weight reduction, pelvic floor muscle training, and bladder training, so you can wait longer between needing to urinate and passing urine. Conservative treatments, such as above-mentioned items, can improve stress urinary incontinence in women by two-thirds. If these treatments fail, several medications may be tried, and a growing number of different surgical techniques provide long-term ben- efits. See page 397 for full-text article Urology for People What’s Up in Urology Journal, Winter 2012? Urology for People Urology for People is a section in the Urology Journal for providing people with a summary of what is published in this journal and describing urological entities in a simple language. Important Note. The findings in medical papers are usually not directly applicable in clinical practice and patients should consult their physicians before any utilization of the results of medical studies.