New parents of baby boys in the U.S. must weigh a number of religious, medical and social factors when determining whether or not they should circumcise their child, the Los Angeles Times reports (latimes.com, 3/31).

The Times article examines a number of arguments in support of— and against—circumcision. According to the piece, in 1965, 85 percent of boys born in the U.S. were circumcised; by 2005, that number had dropped to 56 percent.

While previous research has shown both the medical benefits and risks of circumcising newborns to be slight, recent studies have suggested that circumcision can greatly reduce a male’s risk of acquiring HIV from vaginal sex with an HIV-positive woman.

However, since the studies showing the efficacy of circumcision as a harm-reduction tactic were conducted in sub-Saharan Africa, some experts question the implications of those studies’ findings for people living in the United States.