What increases the risk for undescended testicles
Although the exact cause is not known, several factors increase a baby boy's chances of being born with an undescended testicle:1
- Low birth weight
- Premature birth (because the testicles normally complete their descent just before birth)
- Being a twin
- Family history
- Complications during pregnancy, such as pre-eclampsia, breech birth, or delivery by caesarean section
A newborn boy's risk of having an undescended testicle may also increase if his mother was exposed to certain drugs or toxins while she was pregnant, such as anabolic steroids.
| Author: | Douglas Dana Debby Golonka, MPH | Last Updated: July 30, 2007 |
| Medical Review: | Anne C. Poinier, MD - Internal Medicine Michael J. Sexton, MD - Pediatrics Peter Anderson, MD, FRCS(C) - Pediatric Urology | |
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