quick clicks

iparenting canada articles

iparenting canada q&a

community & groups

research baby names

prepare a birth plan

content channels

ip channel rss feeds

read birth stories

read parenting stories

recommended books

e-newsletters

safety recalls

ip diaries

ip store

mom of the month

dad of the month

editor's letter

letters to the editor

Hypospadias

Identifying and Treating This Male Genital Anomaly

By Donna Smith

"Usually, hypospadias is associated with an incomplete foreskin such that it is easily recognized when a newborn is examined," says Dr. Cheng. "However, in some cases, hypospadias can occur with a full foreskin and is only recognized at the time a circumcision is being performed or after the circumcision has been completed."

"It is very important during newborn [exams] for the physician to carefully evaluate the genitalia for congenital anomalies," says Dr. Nguyen. "Hypospadias can be one of the ... signs of a more severe medical condition known as congenital adrenal hyperplasia. This problem can be lethal if not appropriately diagnosed and differentiated from simple hypospadias."

Franci Newhouse's son, Evan, now 15 months old, was diagnosed with hypospadias about a week after his birth. "Over the past year we have had a lot of stress about the hypospadias," says the Plattsmouth, Neb., mother. "The first couple of months I sat at the computer crying every night reading stories and things about hypospadias. It's a big stress knowing that your decision can cause problems for your child for the rest of his life." After Evan's diagnosis, he was immediately scheduled to see a pediatric urologist.

Robin Schmidt from Springfield, Ill., found out immediately that her son, John, now 5 months old, had mild hypospadias. "In fact, as they pulled him out (C-section), he urinated, and the doctors said to each other, 'hypospadias,'" she says. "My OB/GYN was very familiar with the condition, as her son has it as well. Our pediatrician and the pediatric urologist examined him within 24 hours also."

"The parents should consult a pediatric urologist in orer for their child to be fully evaluated and options for correction discussed," says Dr. Nguyen.

Treatment Options

Want to see more?

• Making the Cut: Rethinking Newborn Circumcision
• The AAP's Circumcision Recommendations
• Newborn Circumcision: A Parent's Guide to Proper Care
• Talk about it!