What is hypospadias and what causes it?
Hypospadias is a congenital (present at birth) problem affecting a boy’s penis. It is a combination of three separate problems: the hole through which urine passes (meatus) is not at the tip of the penis, the foreskin is gathered at the back of the penis with none at the front and the penis may be bent when stiff. The position of the meatus varies; in some boys, the hole is only a small distance away from the tip of the penis, whereas in others, it is at the base of the penis, in the scrotum or behind the scrotum. About one in every 300 boys has hypospadias, although this figure seems to be rising. We do not know what causes hypospadias; more research is needed to learn more about the causes. It is unlikely to have been caused by anything that happened during pregnancy. Hypospadias can be associated with other conditions, such as inguinal hernia or undescended testicles, but the doctor will thoroughly check your child to confirm or rule out any other problems.
