Testicles do not go down & bull; hello healthy

x

Definition

What are undescended testicles?

Undescended testicles are a disease in which one or both testicles do not descend into the scrotum before birth. During pregnancy, the child's testes are usually located in the abdomen. Shortly before birth, the testes move down through the abdomen to the scrotum. However, in some cases this does not occur and the testicles do not descend. Usually, only one testicle is undescended, but about 10% of children have both undescended testicles.

How common is an undescended testicle?

Undescended testicles usually occur in about 3% of boys born normal and 30% of babies born prematurely. In fact, nearly 100% of all baby boys weighing less than 0.9 kg are born with undescended testes.

Signs & symptoms

What are the signs and symptoms of an undescended testicle?

Unless there is no visible or felt testicle on the scrotum, your child should still be healthy. Usually, this disease has no symptoms.

There may be signs or symptoms not listed above. If you have any concerns regarding this disease, please consult your doctor.

When should I see a doctor?

Undescended testicles are usually found during the examination of the baby right after birth. If your child has undescended testicles, ask the doctor how often to get tested. If the testicles haven't descended into the scrotum by the time your child is 6 months after birth, this usually becomes permanent.

Medications done when your child is young can reduce the risk of future complications, such as infertility and testicular cancer.

When growing up, if your child has normal testes but later finds them incomplete, possible situations are:

• Shrinkage of the testicles: moves up and down between the scrotum and groin. The scrotum can come back down when assisted by a doctor. This is unusual and is caused by the scrotal reflex muscles.
• Upward testicles or testicles: this means that the testicles are returning to the inguinal and you cannot use your hands to bring the scrotum back down.

If you notice any changes in your child's genitals or have concerns about the child's development, please talk to your doctor.

Cause

What causes undescended testicles?

The cause is still unknown. There may be a lack of hormones from the mother or a lack of testicular hormones to allow for normal testicular growth. Several things can prevent the testicles from moving down. The use of hormones during pregnancy can also affect the testes.

Risk factors

What increases my risk for undescended testicles?

There are many risk factors for this disease, for example:

• Low birth weight
• Born prematurely
• Family history of having this disease or there is interference with the development of other reproductive systems
• Pathologies that inhibit fetal growth, such as Down Syndrome or uterine wall defects
• Mothers who consume alcohol during pregnancy; active or passive smokers; obesity; type 1 diabetes or type 2 gestational diabetes
• Parents exposed to pesticides

Drugs & Medicines

The information provided is not a substitute for medical advice. ALWAYS consult your doctor.

What are my treatment options for undescended testicles?

If you can feel the testicles in the inguinal canal, they can usually move downward on their own without treatment. If your baby from birth to 6 months of age still has no descending testicles, you may need to take intervention steps. Testicular correction surgery can be performed to move the testicles into the scrotum.

Undescended testicles that are not treated promptly will cause reproductive problems later in life, such as a low sperm count. Men who have undescended testicles, even with surgery or not, are still at high risk of developing testicular cancer.

What are the usual tests for undescended testicles?

Doctors often detect undescended testicles through a physical examination of newborns. In 80% of cases, the doctor can feel the baby's testicles above the inguinal canal (tube located in the lower abdomen).

If the doctor cannot feel the testicles in the inguinal canal, an ultrasound scan will be performed using sound waves to capture images of the body.

Your doctor may order other tests if the ultrasound doesn't provide an image of the testicles. Tomography (CT) can provide better images of the body. Sometimes, the doctor will need to do a stomach endoscopy. In this technique, the doctor uses a small light tube to observe the inside of the stomach.

Home remedies

What are some lifestyle changes or home remedies that can be done to treat undescended testicles?

Here are lifestyle and home remedies that can help you deal with this disease.

• Check the testicles to make sure they are developing normally, even after surgery. You can help by paying attention to the growth process. Check the location of the testicles when changing diapers and bathing.
• Talk to your child about his testicles when he is growing up. When your child reaches puberty, talk about the physical changes that will occur, and explain how to examine the testicles. Self-examination of the testicles is an important step from an early age to detect possible tumors.

If you have any questions, consult your doctor for the best solution to your problem.