Dear Alice,
Ever since puberty (which was eons ago), one of my testicles has consistently been "higher" than the other. One will descend depending on heat, but the other remains high (e.g., close to the body). I was never much concerned about this until recently. My fiancee and I hope to have children one day and I'd like to know if my riding-high testicle will reduce my fertility. My fiancee has had a pelvic inflammatory disorder earlier in life, so her fertility is already admittedly diminished. Sincerely, Father-Wannabe
Dear Father-Wannabe,
Although males are concerned (sometimes overly!) about their penis and testicles, the privacy we associate with our genitals makes it possible for 1 in 50 boys to enter puberty with one or both of their testes still in the abdominal cavity. One in 500 adult men have an undescended testicle. In contrast, almost all men have one testicle that "rides" higher than the other. It is impossible for Alice to tell you whether your situation is a normal case of "riding-high" or a potential fertility problem.
For normal sperm production to occur, the testes must be maintained at a temperature lower than your body temperature. If your testicle is undescended, sperm production may be reduced and/or maturation of the sperm limited, both of which lower a man's fertility. Other factors which may cause problems of sperm production and maturation are previous infection, such as mumps; chemical and environmental factors; drugs; and a varicocele (a varicose vein in the scrotum). If you are concerned about your ability to bear children, contact a fertility specialist who can assess both yours and your fiancee's fertility. You can also contact Resolve, Inc., an organization that offers medical referrals, newsletters, factsheets, and a telephone hot line for infertility information. They're at 1310 Broadway, Somerville, MA, 02144, (617) 623-0744.
- Alice
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Riding high testicle
