Cryptorchidy (Noun)
Meaning
Failure of one or both testes to move into the scrotum as the male fetus develops.
Classification
Nouns denoting natural processes.
Examples
- Cryptorchidy, or undescended testes, affects about 3-4% of male infants, but in most cases, the testes descend spontaneously by the time the child is 6 months old.
- Undiagnosed and untreated cryptorchidy can increase the risk of infertility and testicular cancer in later life.
- There are two types of cryptorchidy: nonpalpable and palpable, depending on whether the undescended testis can be felt in the groin or abdomen.
- Surgical treatment of cryptorchidy, typically performed before the child reaches the age of 18 months, is highly successful in reducing the risk of complications.
- Researchers have made several attempts to identify the causes of cryptorchidy, including genetic, hormonal, and environmental factors.