Answers To The Most Sought FAQs On Hypospadias

Hypospadias is a genetic condition (that runs in the family). 7 out of 100 children with hypospadias have a father who had it too. If the father and the baby's brother have had hypospadias, it increases the risk of your baby having it too by 21%.

The earlier, the better is a rule that applies in cases of hypospadias. Most surgeons recommend getting your child operated on between 3 to 18 months. Babies this age are easier to pacify after surgery. Since they are too small to walk around and are mostly lying in their cribs, post-operative care becomes easier.

Healing takes about 6 weeks. The healing process is faster in babies and infants. The penis will be swollen and will be painful initially. You will be given medications for the same. Gradually the pain subsides, and the healing takes place normally.

In rare cases, there may be complications after healing that may require further surgery. Most of the time, the surgery for hypospadias is successful, and the child will face no problems in the present as well as future.

In hypospadias, The urethral opening is placed in an abnormal position. This can create problems with ejaculation. Also, hypospadias leads to a bend in the shaft of the penis. This interferes with the erection and can make intercourse uncomfortable and painful.

Most often, it cannot be prevented. It may help if the mother avoids hormonal therapy during pregnancy and does not expose herself to harsh pesticides like dioxin, DDT, and PCBs. Identifying genetic susceptibility before pregnancy can also help to some extent in preventing hypospadias.

Hypospadias surgery can be performed by either pediatric surgeons (a surgeon who treats children from birth to adolescence), pediatric urologists (pediatric doctor specializing in diseases of the urinary tract, urologists (a surgeon specializing in urinary tract diseases), or plastic surgeons (a surgeon specializing in the repair and reconstruction of structural defects in the skin or any other organs of the body).