Important Facts About Hypospadias in Baby Boys

 The American Urological Association explains, about 7 out of 100 children with hypospadias have this condition because it is inherited from their biological father.

Hypospadias in Baby Boys

The chance that a second child will be born with this condition is about 12 in 100. If both father and brother have hypospadias, the risk for the second child increases to 21 in 100. Here are some facts that can help you know more about hypospadias in baby boys.

What is Hypospadias?

Hypospadias is a birth defect or congenital condition in which the opening of the urethra is at the bottom of the penis, not at the tip.

The urethra is the tube through which urine flows from the bladder to be expelled from the body.This condition is common and surgery is usually performed to restore the normal appearance of the baby's penis.

With proper treatment, most baby boys with this congenital condition are able to urinate and reproduce normally.Hypospadias in baby boys develops when the baby is still in the developmental stage in your womb.

As the fetus develops, the tissue at the bottom of the penis that makes up the urethra is not completely closed, so the tube becomes shorter.

In many cases, according to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, the foreskin, or the fold of skin that covers the tip of the penis or glans – is also not well developed.As a result, there is an overgrowth of the foreskin on the upper side of the penis, but not on the underside of the penis.

This congenital condition is not caused by any disturbance during pregnancy.In fact, although the number of cases has steadily increased since the 1970s, the cause is still unknown.

However, doctors from Boston Children's Hospital say studies have found that some baby boys with the condition are more likely to be born to fathers or to have brothers with the condition.

In recent years, Center for Disease Control and Prevention researchers have reported important findings about several factors that influence the risk of male infants with hypospadias:

Age and weight 

Mothers who are 35 years of age or older and are considered obese have a higher risk of having a baby with this condition.

Program pregnancy

 Women who use assisted reproductive technology to assist with pregnancy have a higher risk of having a baby with this condition.

Certain hormones

Women who take certain hormones before or during pregnancy have been shown to have a higher risk of having a baby with this condition.

Hypospadias is usually diagnosed by a physical examination after the baby is born.

Types of Hypospadias

Types of hypospadias in baby boys vary, depending on the location of the urethral opening, namely:

Subchronal 

 the urethral opening is located somewhere near the head of the penis.

Middle shaft

the opening of the urethra is located along the shaft of the penis.

Penoscrotal 

the opening of the urethra is where the penis and scrotum meet.

If hypospadias in baby boys is not treated or treated properly, it can lead to various complications such as:

• Abnormal appearance of the penis.
• Problems when baby learns to use the toilet.
• Abnormal curvature of the penis during an erection.
• Problems with ejaculation disorders.
• Read also:  Getting to know Pertussis aka Whooping Cough That Is Dangerous to Babies' Lives

Physical Symptoms of Hypospadia

Most babies with hypospadias are diagnosed after birth while still in the hospital.

However, the presence of urethral changes may be less noticeable or difficult to identify. There are physical signs and symptoms of hypospadias, including:

1. Urethral opening at a location other than the tip of the penis
2. Penis curvature down (chordee)
3. The appearance of the penis is like a hood because only the top of the penis is covered by the foreskin
4. Abnormal spraying when urinating
5. This condition generally does not cause any difficulties or complications. Surgery is usually performed to restore the normal appearance of the child's penis .

With successful treatment of hypospadias, most adult men can urinate and reproduce normally.

Hypospadias Treatment

Surgery is the best and only way to solve the difficulty of urination in baby boys born with hypospadias.

Surgery is done to straighten and repair the baby's penis so that it will look more normal.

In addition, surgery also helps ensure that the baby's penis will have normal sexual function when they become adults.

The goal of surgery for the treatment of hypospadias is to make the penis straight and normal with the urinary tract ending at or near the tip.

This operation mostly involves 4 steps:

• Straightening the shaft
• Make urinary tract
• Positioning the meatus on the head of the penis
• Circumcision or reconstructing the foreskin

The method of treating hypospadias depends on the surgeon's assessment, which includes the location of the meatus, the degree of penile curvature, the quality of the penile skin, and whether there have been previous operations on the penis.

The appropriate approach is usually best decided at the time of surgery but options and approaches will be reviewed with the family.

For example, two-stage repair is often used for boys with severe curvature because it has proven to be a more effective approach than single surgery.

The doctors will later discuss the specifics of hypospadias surgery between the child and the parents.