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Undescended Testicle: Fertility Problems

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Men who have or have had an undescended testicle are more likely to have problems with the reproductive system that may cause them to be unable to father a child (infertility).

Early diagnosis and treatment for an undescended testicle improves chances for fertility in adulthood. Generally, doctors recommend surgical treatment to place the testicle in the scrotum by age 1 and no later than age 2. The location of the undescended testicle and the boy's age when he is treated influence the outcome. Boys who have one undescended testicle that is just above the scrotum or low in the inguinal canal are more likely to be fertile than boys who have two undescended testicles that are high in the inguinal canal or in the abdomen.

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Other Works Consulted

  • Braga LHP, Bagli DJ (2011). Urologic abnormalities of the genitourinary tract. In CD Rudolph et al., eds., Rudolph's Pediatrics, 22nd ed., pp. 1741–1748. New York: McGraw-Hill.
  • Elder JS (2011). Disorders and anomalies of the scrotal contents. In RM Kliegman et al., eds., Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics, 19th ed., pp. 1858–1864. Philadelphia: Saunders.

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By Healthwise Staff
Primary Medical Reviewer John Pope, MD - Pediatrics
Specialist Medical Reviewer Peter Anderson, MD, FRCS(C) - Pediatric Urology
Last Revised December 28, 2012

Last Revised: December 28, 2012

Author: Healthwise Staff

Medical Review: John Pope, MD - Pediatrics & Peter Anderson, MD, FRCS(C) - Pediatric Urology

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