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Most people are surprised to hear that penis birth defects like hypospadias are among the most common birth defects in the world - more common than cleft lip, Down syndrome, and spina bifida. Hypospadias and other penis birth defects are rarely mentioned in television health segments, newspaper articles, blogs, or other common resources, leaving those who are coping with them feeling alone and unsupported. Estimated to affect 10,000 babies in the USA and 300,000 babies worldwide each year, it's our goal to raise awareness and create a community that educates and supports each other.

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 Hypospadias, all there is to know

Hypospadias is one of the most common congenital anomalies in men. The condition is typically characterized by proximal displacement of the urethral opening, penile curvature, and a ventrally deficient hooded foreskin. In about 70%, the urethral meatus is located distally on the penile shaft; this is considered a mild form that is not associated with other urogenital deformities.

 My life with hypospadias

In this audio piece, three men talk about living with a condition that affects how the penis looks and works.

Articles of Interest

'I'm 16 years old and I have hypospadias'

Some people who have Hypospadias got in touch with us. Here are their thoughts.

Hypospadias in Children

With hypospadias, the end of the tube is lower down on the underside of the penis. Or it may be in the scrotum. The fold of skin on top of the penis (the foreskin) also forms abnormally. Hypospadias can prevent normal urine flow. Later in life it can cause problems with semen flow. This can lead to not being able to have children (infertility).

Hypospadias: A Congenital Abnormality That Causes Male Factor Infertility

Fertility problems should no longer remain after the hypospadias is surgically corrected. After surgery, the curve of the penis should be straightened, and proper forward ejaculation should be achieved.

If your newborn is diagnosed with hypospadias

It is not urgent to treat newborns with hypospadias because they can usually pee (urinate) just fine through their existing urinary opening. In fact, when hypospadias is the only condition noted in a newborn physical exam there is a low chance of additional developmental abnormalities. Additional tests and studies on the baby are usually not necessary.

Improving Hypospadias Outcomes Through Novel Research

With this new approach, patient and parent counseling will be more accurate and support currently unanswered questions about the cause of the condition, potential future fertility and risk of recurrence. It will also allow patients and parents to make more accurate and informed decisions about treatment options and surgery.

Knowledge gaps and information seeking by parents about hypospadias

The Internet is the primary source of information most parents use to address knowledge gaps about hypospadias. Parents expressed concerns about the reliability and clarity of information and identified informational needs including parent testimonials and a wide variety of hypospadias images for inclusion in a decision aid.

Surgical Management Options in Proximal Hypospadias

The clinical experience cited is limited, but tissue engineering will certainly become a reality in the future that will benefit patients with undesirable results from surgical misadventures where local tissues are not available for reconstruction.

Resources

HEA

The Hypospadias and Epispadias Association (HEA) is a non-profit organization founded for the education & support of people born with hypospadias or epispadias and their families and loved ones. We emphasize information and support so that no one need suffer from the very common but very destructive feelings of shame -- feelings that are not based in fact but are rather caused by societal and familial cultures which say that to be different is to be abnormal or defective.

Hypospadias Foundation

To enhance the functional and cosmetic outcomes for children and adults undergoing surgical correction of Hypospadias...

Hypospadias International Society

There is a lot that is still unknown about this particular and interesting field of medicine and science.

Hypospadias UK

The site is written for boys, men, and parents of boys, with the aim of providing basic information and advice for anyone who has the condition called hypospadias. This is a relatively common birth defect, but it is rarely discussed, and very little has been written about it for the lay reader.

Fertilitypedia

In roughly 90% of cases, the opening is on or near the head of the penis (glans), referred to as distal hypospadias, while the remainder have proximal hypospadias with a meatus near or within the scrotum

CDC

Researchers estimate that about 1 in every 200 babies is born with hypospadias in the United States, making it one of the most common birth defects.

StatPearls

Hypospadias is an anatomical congenital malformation of the male external genitalia. It is characterized by abnormal development of the urethral fold and the ventral foreskin of the penis that causes abnormal positioning of the urethral opening. In hypospadias, the external urethral meatus may present various degrees of malpositioning and may be found with associated penile curvature.