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'''Meatal stenosis''' is a narrowing of the ''meatus'' (the opening of the [[urethra]]). Meatal stenosis is extremely rare in [[intact ]] boys with a protective [[foreskin]]. About twenty percent of circumcised boys develop meatal stenosis. Meatal stenosis may be prevented by avoiding child [[circumcision]], which is a medically-unnecessary, non-therapeutic surgical [[amputation]] procedure.

After [[circumcision]] and the loss of the protective [[Foreskin#Protective_functions| foreskinprotection]], a child who is not toilet-trained persistently exposes the [[meatus ]] to [[urine]], resulting in inflammation (ammoniacal dermatitis) and mechanical trauma as the meatus rubs against a wet diaper (nappie). This causes the loss of the delicate epithelial lining of the distal [[urethra]]. This loss may result in adherence of the epithelial lining at the ventral side, leaving a pinpoint orifice at the tip of the glans. Because this condition is exceedingly rare in [[intact]] children, [[circumcision ]] is believed to be the most important causative factor of meatal stenosis.

Another hypothetical cause of this condition is ischemia due to damage to the frenular artery during [[circumcision]], resulting in poor blood supply to the meatus and subsequent stenosis. In a prospective study of circumcised boys, [[Robert S. Van Howe|Van Howe]] (2006) found meatal stenosis in 24 of 239 (7.29%) children older than 3 years, making meatal stenosis the most common complication of circumcision.<refname="vanhowe2006">{{REFjournal

Meatal stenosis affects 910%-1020% of males who are circumcisedin infancy.

=== Sex Gender ===