| Abstract: | Testicular volume and pubertal development were investigated in 108 boys born by breech delivery aged 14 1/2 to 19 1/2 years. Mean testicular volume was slightly but not significantly lower than in a control group of the same age. Pubertal development was normal. One boy had unilateral and two boys bilateral testicular atrophy (one with azoospermia and one with oligospermia). In a control group of 135 boys delivered from vertex position ther were three cases with unilateral and none with bilateral testicular atrophy. In both groups all cases with unilateral testicular atrophy could be explained by postnatal testicular injury, whereas the two cases of bilateral atrophy in the group of breech delivered boys remained unexplained. They may have originated from local trauma during breech delivery. It is concluded that testicular atrophy as a complication of breech delivery is seen with a frequency of only 2% or less. |
