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Castration, gelding, neutering, orchiectomy or orchidectomy is any action, surgical or otherwise, by which a biological male loses use of the testes. This causes sterilization, i.e. prevents them from reproducing; it also prevents the production of certain hormones such as testosterone. It should not be confused with penectomy, which is the whole or partial removal of the penis.
The term "castration" is sometimes also used to refer to the removal of the ovaries in the female, otherwise known as an oophorectomy or, in animals, spaying.
Castration was frequently used in certain cultures such as in India, Africa or China, for religious or social reasons. People who receive this treatment, known as eunuchs, are often admitted to special social classes. Eunuchs were also often used to guard harems. Castration has also figured in a number of religious cults: see castration cults.
When women were not allowed to sing in public, castration was sometimes used on young boys to prevent the breaking of their voice (caused mainly by testosterone) and to let them develop a special high voice. These men are known as castrati.
Remains of transsexual women or transgendered people from far back as the Ancient Romans have been uncovered and confirmed to have undergone castration.
Castration in humans has been proposed, and sometimes used, as a method of birth control in certain poorer regions.
Surgical removal of a testicle is done in the case of testicular cancer. Surgical removal of both testicles or chemical castration may be carried out in the case of prostate cancer, as hormone treatment to slow down the cancer.
Male-to-female transsexual women, as well as some transgendered people, often undergo castration. Castration can be done before, during, or in place of sex reassignment surgery.
A temporary chemical castration has been studied and developed as a preventive measure and punishment for several repeated sex crimes such as rape or other sexually related violence. Chemical or surgical castration is being discussed in many countries in particular as a voluntary surgical measure: an option for child molesters to avoid (long term) imprisonments. In the case of chemical castration, regular injections of anti-androgens would probably be required.
There is also evidence that voluntary castration is used in modern societies for reasons such as control of libido, and body modification. Since voluntary castration is not generally supported by the medical community, an underground network of castrators (generally called "cutters") without medical licenses has formed. Alternatively, self-castration (or autocastration) is occasionally performed, though it carries significant risk. Many who desire castration travel to developing countries, where medicine is less tightly regulated, and have the procedure performed by a doctor.
A subject of castration who is castrated before the onset of puberty will retain their high voice, slight build and small genitals, won't develop pubic hair, and will have a small or no sex drive.
Castrations after the onset of puberty will typically reduce the sex drive considerably, or eliminate it altogether. Castrates can however still have erections, orgasms and ejaculations. The voice will normally not change. Some castrates report mood changes, such as depression or a more serene outlook on life. Body strength and muscle mass can decrease somewhat. Body hair may or may not decrease.
Generally speaking, the effects of a chemical castration (where the action of male hormones is countered by drugs) are more severe than the effects of surgical castration because about 10 percent of a male's testosterone is produced by the adrenal glands (near the kidneys) and not by the testes. Therefore, a chemical castration effectively removes all testosterone in a subject while physical castration results in a ninety percent reduction, but not a total lack of testosterone in the body.
Castration is common in zoology, where it is intended for favouring a given desired development of the animal or of its habits. Usually domestic pets are subject to castration in order to avoid sexual frustration or sexual contacts and consequent reproduction. (In the case of pets, it is usually called neutering). In the food industry, cattle are often castrated in order to increase their weight (with the advantage of relevant scale economies for the breeder).
Certain animals, like horses and swine, are usually treated with a scrotal castration (which can be done with the animal standing), while others, like dogs and cats, with a pre-scrotal castration (with the animal recumbent).
Methods of veterinary castration include surgical removal, the use of an elastrator tool to secure a band around the testicles that disrupts the blood supply, the use of a burdizzo tool to crush the spermatic cords and disrupt the blood supply, pharmacological injections and implants and immunological techniques to inoculate the animal against its own sexual hormones.
Orthodox Judaism forbids the castration of either humans or animals.
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