Undescended testicles
Cryptorchidism means "concealed testicle". It occurs when one or both testicles get stuck at some point in fetal descent. The testes start to develop 40 days after conception. They grow inside the fetal abdomen. Near the end of the eighth month, they travel down the inguinal canal and through the abdomen wall. They reach their low-hanging position in the scrotum a few days before birth. A post-birth check ensures that they have safely descended.
Cryptorchidism is a congenital disorder when one or both of a newborn's testicles fail to descend into the scrotum. Although this condition may occur on both sides, it more commonly affects the right testis.
Because the testicles normally descend into the scrotum during the eighth month of gestation, undescended testicles most commonly affect newborns. In about 80 percent of affected infants, testicles descend spontaneously during the first year; in the rest, the testicles may or may not descend later.
In most cases, the natural history of an undescended testis is spontaneous descent, usually occurring within the first year of life and, in most cases, within the first three months of life. If no descent is observed in the first 1 to 3 months, urologic consultation is indicated. If the bilateral condition persists untreated into adolescence, it may result in sterility, make the testicles more vulnerable to injury, and significantly increase the risk of testicular cancer and infertility.
Cryptorchidism on both sides can rarely be a sign of an inter-sex disorder. In particular, babies with absent testes on both sides and hypospadius (opening of the penis is located not at the tip but lower down on or toward the shaft) may rarely be “genetic females”. In any case where there is a “double abnormality”, expert consultation should be obtained before a baby is assigned a gender.
Source: healthscout.com
Undescended testicles
OTHER RELATED INFORMATION
Cryptorchidism means "concealed testicle". It occurs when one or both testicles get stuck at some point in fetal descent. The testes start to develop 40 days after conception. They grow inside the fetal abdomen. Near the end of the eighth month, they travel down the inguinal canal and through the abdomen wall. They reach their low-hanging position in the scrotum a few days before birth. A post-birth check ensures that they have safely descended.
Cryptorchidism is a congenital disorder when one or both of a newborn's testicles fail to descend into the scrotum. Although this condition may occur on both sides, it more commonly affects the right testis.
Because the testicles normally descend into the scrotum during the eighth month of gestation, undescended testicles most commonly affect newborns. In about 80 percent of affected infants, testicles descend spontaneously during the first year; in the rest, the testicles may or may not descend later.
In most cases, the natural history of an undescended testis is spontaneous descent, usually occurring within the first year of life and, in most cases, within the first three months of life. If no descent is observed in the first 1 to 3 months, urologic consultation is indicated. If the bilateral condition persists untreated into adolescence, it may result in sterility, make the testicles more vulnerable to injury, and significantly increase the risk of testicular cancer and infertility.
Cryptorchidism on both sides can rarely be a sign of an inter-sex disorder. In particular, babies with absent testes on both sides and hypospadius (opening of the penis is located not at the tip but lower down on or toward the shaft) may rarely be “genetic females”. In any case where there is a “double abnormality”, expert consultation should be obtained before a baby is assigned a gender.
Source: healthscout.com
Undescended testicles
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