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Children's Health System - Alabama (iFrame)

Children's of Alabama
Healthcare as amazing as their potential
www.childrensal.org
1600 7th Avenue South
Birmingham, AL 35233
(205) 638 - 9100


What's an Undescended Testicle?

Undescended Testicle

Say: un-DIH-sen-did TESS-tih-kul

A testicle is an egg-shaped gland that makes and holds sperm. There are two of them in the sac called the scrotum (say: SKROH-tum) that hangs underneath a boy's penis. When a baby is developing inside his mom, his testicles grow in his abdomen and then drop, or descend, into the scrotum.

Undescended testicle is a condition in which one or both of a boy's testicles have not moved into their proper place in the scrotum. The testicle may move down on its own within a few months. If it doesn't, the doctor will do surgery to move it.