Cryptorchidism
An undescended testicle (or "testis") is when it fails to drop into the normal place in the scrotum. Your child's health care provider can find this during a routine exam. This issue is found in about 3 or 4 out of 100 newborns (and up to 21 out of 100 premature newborns). Luckily, about half of these testicles will drop on their own during the first 3 months of life. But testicles won't drop on their own after 3 months of age. Thus, about 1 or 2 out of 100 boys with undescended testicles will need treatment.
Archived from the 2022 edition
Overview
It's important not to confuse undescended testicles with "retractile" testicles. After 6 months of age, a male child has a reflex that temporarily pulls the testicles up to protect them when he's cold or frightened. These testicles are in the scrotum at other times and don't need treatment. Only testicles that are truly undescended need treatment. A pediatric urologist can tell the difference with a physical exam.
The testicles need to be 2 to 3 degrees cooler than normal body temperature to make sperm. The scrotum is many degrees cooler than body temperature, and so is the ideal place for the testicle. Testicles that don't drop into the scrotum won't work normally. The longer the testicles are too warm, the lower chances are that the sperm in that testicle will mature normally. This can be a cause of infertility, especially when both testicles are affected.
In this entry
The archived page carried these sections, in this order.
- What Happens under Normal Conditions?
- Causes
- Diagnosis
- Treatment
- After Treatment
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Is an undescended testicle always found in babies?
- Explore Further