One testicle can produce enough sperm

Dear Dr. Donya,

My son has had only one testicle since birth. How to deal with this? Can he father children when he grows up?

Thanks for your reply.

-- Will

Dear Will,

Testes normally move down into the scrotum in the final months before birth. But sometimes in the male fetus one testicle or both fail to descend fully, an abnormality referred to as an undescended testicle.

Undescended testis usually corrects itself without treatment in the first two years of life, but if it doesn't seem likely to descend then surgery will be needed to relocate it to the scrotum.

As far as sex is concerned, one healthy testicle can make adequate sperm to conceive a child but you are at greater risk of testicular cancer, so regular checkups are recommended, even if the testicle has been surgically relocated.

-- Dr. Donya