A birth defect in males called Hypospadias is in fact a deformity of the penis. It usually involves the opening of the penis. The opening, which ordinarily would be at the tip end of the penis, may appear somewhere else on the urethral grove, which runs along the shaft towards the scrotum. The penis may tilt downward and the foreskin may appear to be deformed as well indicating the possibility of being Hypospadias. There are three degrees of Hypospadias. The first degree is when the opening is just below the tip of the penis. The second degree is when the opening in on the shaft. The third degree is when the opening is at the base or scotum area. There are cases, which are more severe and cause the phallus to not be completely separated or are tied down with undescended testes.
Many of the cases of Hypospadias happen as a unique defect at birth with any other abnormality of the rest of the reproductive systems. Nevertheless, a few infants are born with more severe cases of Hypospadias and will have other abnormalities of the reproductive systems. Some other these cases experience an undescended testis and/or may have an inguinal hernia. They may also have an enlarged prostatic utricle. This is common in most of the severe cases of Hypospadias. This severity can lead to problems with infections of the urinary tract. Another rarer case, which is unrelated to Hypospadias, is when the opening is at the top side of the penis. This is called an epispadias.
The reason for these birth defects is not completely understood. It is believed that the hormones needed during pregnancy was not sufficient enough to completely form the male reproductive systems. Some researchers believe that Hypospadias are genetic. If a father is Hypospadias then the risk of having a son it is greater. Women who decide to have children later in life may also run a higher risk of having an infant born with Hypospadias.
Surgery is usually the treatment for Hypospadias. The more severe the cases may take many surgeries before the genatalia is corrected. Having the infant circumcised should be postponed until after the surgeries have been completed. The doctors usually use the foreskin in the reconstruction process of the penis. In some of the worst cases of Hypospadias, infant’s surgery is not beneficial and some parents decide to reassign the gender of their infant and raise the child as a female. They do this in the hopes of decreasing any self-esteem problems. This procedure has become less practiced in the last decade because the child as an adult female may still develop male traits. In the United States, about 1 in 250 males born have some degree of Hypospadias.
Many of the cases of Hypospadias happen as a unique defect at birth with any other abnormality of the rest of the reproductive systems. Nevertheless, a few infants are born with more severe cases of Hypospadias and will have other abnormalities of the reproductive systems. Some other these cases experience an undescended testis and/or may have an inguinal hernia. They may also have an enlarged prostatic utricle. This is common in most of the severe cases of Hypospadias. This severity can lead to problems with infections of the urinary tract. Another rarer case, which is unrelated to Hypospadias, is when the opening is at the top side of the penis. This is called an epispadias.
The reason for these birth defects is not completely understood. It is believed that the hormones needed during pregnancy was not sufficient enough to completely form the male reproductive systems. Some researchers believe that Hypospadias are genetic. If a father is Hypospadias then the risk of having a son it is greater. Women who decide to have children later in life may also run a higher risk of having an infant born with Hypospadias.
Surgery is usually the treatment for Hypospadias. The more severe the cases may take many surgeries before the genatalia is corrected. Having the infant circumcised should be postponed until after the surgeries have been completed. The doctors usually use the foreskin in the reconstruction process of the penis. In some of the worst cases of Hypospadias, infant’s surgery is not beneficial and some parents decide to reassign the gender of their infant and raise the child as a female. They do this in the hopes of decreasing any self-esteem problems. This procedure has become less practiced in the last decade because the child as an adult female may still develop male traits. In the United States, about 1 in 250 males born have some degree of Hypospadias.