Q54: Hypospadias

Hypospadias is a group of birth defects affecting boys, characterized by the abnormal location of the urethral opening, which is where urine exits the body. In a normal male anatomy, the urethral opening is at the tip of the penis, but in hypospadias, it's located along the underside of the penis, with varying degrees of severity. Some boys may have the opening near the tip, while in others, it may be near or even within the scrotum. Hypospadias is caused by a disruption in the male urethral development before birth. It's not a contagious condition and cannot be passed onto others. The precise cause is unclear, but it could involve a combination of genetic, hormonal, and environmental factors. The main symptoms are an abnormally positioned urethral opening and a downward curve of the penis, which can also affect how boys stand to urinate. Because hypospadias is a birth defect, it's present from birth but varying degrees of the condition can affect how obvious the symptoms are. This condition mainly impacts the urinary system.