Question

How cryptorchidism leads to sterility and why it occurs

Answer 1

In men, sperm develop in the testes, which are normally located in the scrotum. But in 2 to 4 percent of infant boys, 1 or both testes fails to move into the proper location in the scrotum, a condition called cryptorchidism. Although an undescended testis often moves into the scrotum spontaneously during infancy, sometimes the condition needs to be treated as it could interfere with normal production of sperm after puberty, causing infertility. In most cases, cryptorchidism can be corrected, but occasionally, problems persist into adulthood that might interfere with a man's fertility.
Many men who were born with undescended testes have reduced fertility. The reduction with unilateral cryptorchidism is subtle, with a reported infertility rate of about 10%, compared with about 6% reported by the same study for the general population of adult men.
Why it occurs?
Undescended testes may occur for several reasons. While prematurity is a leading cause, other causes may include hormonal disorders, spina bifida, retractile testes (a reflex that causes a testicle to move back and forth from the scrotum to the groin), or testicular absence.