Undescended Testicle: Fertility Problems

Topic Overview

Men who have or have had an undescended testicle are more likely to have problems with the reproductive system. These problems may cause them to be unable to father a child (infertility).

Early diagnosis and treatment improves a man's chances of being able to father a child. In most cases, doctors recommend surgical treatment to place the testicle in the scrotum by age 1 and no later than age 2. How well this works depends on the location of the undescended testicle and the boy's age when he is treated. Boys who have one undescended testicle that is just above the scrotum or low in the inguinal canal are more likely to be fertile than boys who have two undescended testicles that are high in the inguinal canal or in the abdomen.