Pain perception in the neonate: implications for circumcision

Routine neonatal circumcision is still performed in most centers without the benefit of anesthesia. The authors give a review of the anatomy and physiology of the pain response as it relates to newborns, and discuss the growing body of literature regarding the ability of these very young patients to perceive pain. The discussion focuses on the relevance of this information to the controversial issue of the use of anesthesia during circumcision.