Sexually Transmitted Diseases & circumcision Male circumcision may reduce the likelihood of contracting sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV, syphilis, and genital ulcers (often caused by herpes simplex), according to a controversial 25-year-long study in New Zealand. And the World Health Organization now recommends circumcision after three clinical trials in Africa showed a 48-60 percent drop in new HIV infections among circumcised heterosexual men. The penile foreskin is a particularly delicate area, prone to bleeding and infection when agitated. Despite these recent findings, the American Academy of Pediatrics concludes there is insufficient evidence to recommend routine neonatal circumcision, and doctors still advise men to practice safe sex through monogamy and condom use to reduce the spread of STD’s.