What is hypospadias?
If your boy was born with a penis that doesn't look or function the way
it should, you want to know if it can be treated right away. And this is
understandable. Urine and semen pass through the urethra, a tube that opens at
the end of the penis. But boys with hypospadias are born with a hole anywhere
on the glans or shaft of the penis, scrotum, or perineum.
Hypospadias is quite common and can sometimes be left as is. But doctors
can perform surgery to fix the problem if necessary.
Depending on where the hole is on your son's penis, he may have trouble
having children because his sperm can't fertilize the egg effectively.
Keeping it clean is also difficult. The hole may be larger than usual.
And when it's located on the underside of the penis, it can be difficult to
check if it's clean, red, or infected.
If their hypospadias is not corrected early, the boy may have to sit up
when he urinates. And if they still have it as an adult, they may have problems
with children because it can be difficult to direct their sperm into the woman.
What are the reasons?
As with many other birth defects, doctors don't know why some boys
develop hypospadias. They believe that some of the reasons may be:
- Genetics. It’s more likely if the boy has a father or brother who were born with it. It is also associated with some genetic syndromes.
- Fertility treatments. The mother may have used hormone therapy or medicine to help them get pregnant..
- The mother’s age and weight. There’s more chance a baby will be born with hypospadias if their mom is overweight and over age 35, has diabetes prior to their pregnancy
- Exposure to smoking or pesticides
- Premature
You can reduce your baby’s chances of hypospadias while you’re pregnant.
- Don’t smoke or drink alcohol.
- Keep a healthy weight.
- Take 400 to 800 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid per day
- Visit your doctor.
How do I know if my son has it?
Doctors can identify hypospadias by examining your baby's penis during
routine checkups after birth. Most often it is easy to see that the hole is in
the wrong place. The doctor will suggest postponing the circumcision and refer
you to a urologist.
In some cases, the penis also curves downward, which doctors call hard
work. This is seen during an erection.
Types of hypospadias
There are three types, depending on where the urethral opening is
located:
- Near the head of the penis
- Along the shaft of the penis
- Where the penis and scrotum meet, or on the scrotum
How does surgery work?
If the location of the hole is close to the tip, the penis often
functions well enough to be left alone.
But in many cases of hypospadias, surgery is required to reposition the
urethra and opening. This procedure often involves straightening the penis. The
goal of surgical correction is to create a penis with normal function and
appearance, with the urethral opening as close as possible to the ventral end
of the penis. Surgical correction should result in the correct flow of urine
and straightening of the penis during erection.
Doctors use skin from the foreskin or other parts of the body to close
the hole. Your doctor will probably not circumcise your son, but will leave the
foreskin intact for this purpose.
Children who undergo this surgery are usually between 3 and 18 months
old. During the procedure, the child is under anesthesia. They can usually
return home the same day.
If doctors missed your son's hypospadias, it can always be treated
later. This is usually evident due to the direction in which their urine exits.
The operation to correct this condition has been very successful. This also works with adults who have the problem, but it's more difficult and less common.
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