About this Research Topic
Fertility still represents a major issue among adult population and approximatively one third of infertility can be attributed to male factors. Both congenital and acquired urogenital conditions affecting the pediatric population can play a significant role affecting fertility in the adulthood.
Among the congenital conditions cryptorchidism, hypospadia in the severe forms and complex urogenital conditions such as bladder exstrophy could represent malformation with potential impact on sexual function and fertility.
In the acquired condition varicocele in adolescent, torsion of the testis and the balanitis xerotica obliterans affecting children with phymosis could also represent potential causes with detrimental effects on the future fertility.
All these clinical conditions are characterized by endocrinological issues that could impact on testis function and on the hypothalamic/gonadic axis. New insights on the mechanisms that regulates gonadal function and potential new pharmacological treatment to preserve fertility have been recently proposed and deserve further investigation.
Treating the potential causes of male infertility in the pediatric population with a lifelong impact could represent an hot topic with future potential consequence on public health.
Among the congenital conditions cryptorchidism, hypospadia in the severe forms and complex urogenital conditions such as bladder exstrophy could represent malformation with potential impact on sexual function and fertility.
In the acquired condition varicocele in adolescent, torsion of the testis and the balanitis xerotica obliterans affecting children with phymosis could also represent potential causes with detrimental effects on the future fertility.
All these clinical conditions are characterized by endocrinological issues that could impact on testis function and on the hypothalamic/gonadic axis. New insights on the mechanisms that regulates gonadal function and potential new pharmacological treatment to preserve fertility have been recently proposed and deserve further investigation.
Treating the potential causes of male infertility in the pediatric population with a lifelong impact could represent an hot topic with future potential consequence on public health.
Keywords: Cryptorchidism, Varicocele, Balanitis xerotica obliterans, Torsion of the testis, Disorders of sex development, Severe hypospadia, Bladder exstrophy
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