QOD: My son has an undescended testicle. What is the next step?
In a small number of newborns, one or both of the testicles will fail to descend into the scrotum before birth.
Treatment of the undescended testicle depends on the age of your baby. Some undescended testes will drop to their normal position within the first few months of life. However, if they don’t descend by a year of age, they may need to be corrected surgically.
If the undescended testicle is not pulled down from the abdomen into its correct position by the age of 2, there is a risk of infertility later in life. There is also an increased risk of testicular tumors later in life. Fortunately, if the problem is corrected early enough, these problems can usually be avoided.
Reviewed by Dr. Sara Connolly, August 2019
Comments