Enrollment of female partners is designed to answer important questions regarding potential effects of male circumcision on women. Should male circumcision reduce HIV and STD acquisition in women, this would represent an additional important public health benefit of the procedure and would add to the cost effectiveness of male circumcision programs. However, if the procedure is associated with increased HIV transmission (for example, due to increased transmission before a circumcision surgical would is fully healed), it is crucial that such a potential risk be identified rapidly within a trial, in order to prevent the risk within trials and in any potential future circumcision programs.