reproductive system disease
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- Related Topics:
- infertility
- pseudohermaphroditism
- precocious puberty
- delayed puberty
- hypogonadism
reproductive system disease, any of the diseases and disorders that affect the human reproductive system. They include abnormal hormone production by the ovaries or the testes or by other endocrine glands, such as the pituitary, thyroid, or adrenals. Such diseases can also be caused by genetic or congenital abnormalities, infections, tumours, or disorders of unknown cause.
The main divisions of this article are concerned with (1) genetic and congenital abnormalities, (2) functional genital disorders, (3) infections, (4) structural changes of unknown cause, and (5) tumours. For discussion of diseases and disorders affecting pregnancy, see pregnancy. For diseases and disorders affecting childbirth, see parturition. Hormonal disorders affecting reproductive organs and functions are also discussed in the article human endocrine system.
Genetic and congenital abnormalities
In the male
Congenital anomalies of the prostate gland and seminal vesicles are rare; they consist of absence, hypoplasia (underdevelopment), or the presence of fluid- or semisolid-filled sacs, called cysts. Cysts of the prostatic utricle (the uterine remnant found in the male) are often found in association with advanced stages of hypospadias (a defect in the urethra, see below) and pseudohermaphroditism, a condition in which sex glands are present but bodily appearance is ambiguous as to sex; i.e., the secondary sexual characteristics are underdeveloped. Cysts may also cause urinary obstructive symptoms through local pressure on the bladder neck.
Severe anomalies of the penis are rare and are generally associated with urinary or other systemic defects that are incompatible with life. Anomalies are those of absence, transposition, torsion (twisting), and duplication of the penis. An abnormally large penis frequently is present in males with precocious puberty, dwarfism, an overactive pituitary, or adrenal tumours. A small penis is seen in infantilism and in underdevelopment of the genitals, or undersecretion of the pituitary or pineal gland, and failure of development of the corpora cavernosa (erectile tissue located on the dorsal side of the penis).
The only anomaly of the foreskin is congenital phimosis, characterized by a contracture of the foreskin, or prepuce, which prevents its retraction over the glans (the conical structure that forms the head of the penis); the preputial opening may impede the flow of urine. The condition is treated by circumcision.
There is a considerable variety of urethral anomalies. Stenosis (contracture) of the external opening (meatus) is the most common, but congenital stricture of the urethra occasionally occurs at other points. Valves (or flaps) across the anterior or posterior part of the urethra may cause congenital urethral obstruction in males. Posterior urethral valves are more common than anterior valves and consist of deep folds of mucous membrane, often paper-thin and usually attached at one end to the verumontanum, a small prominence in the back wall of the part of the urethra that is surrounded by the prostate gland. If too tight, the valves may obstruct the urethra and damage the kidneys.
Various defects are associated with incomplete closure of the urethra. One of the most common is hypospadias, in which the underside (ventral side) of the urethral canal is open for a distance at its outer end. Frequently the meatus is narrowed, and the penis also has a downward curvature beyond the meatus. The posterior part of the urethra is never involved; therefore, the muscle that closes the urethra functions normally, and urinary control exists. Although the condition occurs in both sexes, it is seen predominantly in the male. There is a high incidence of partial or complete failure of the testes to develop, of cryptorchidism (failure of one or both of the testes to descend into the scrotum), and of small external and internal genitalia. Epispadias, an opening in the upper (dorsal) side of the penis, is considerably less common than hypospadias. Dorsal curvature may also be present, but the disabling aspect is that the defect usually extends through the urinary sphincter and causes urinary incontinence. Other less common urethral anomalies include complete absence of the urethra, double urethra, urethra fistula (an opening in the urethra), urethrorectal fistula (an opening between the urethra and the rectum), and urethral diverticulum (a pouch in the wall of the urethra). Most of the above conditions are correctable by surgery.
Anorchism (absence of one or both testes) is rare; it may be associated with the absence of various other structures of the spermatic tract. Generally, if one testis (also called testicle) is absent, the other is found to be within the abdomen rather than in the scrotum. Congenitally small testes may be a primary disorder or may occur because of underactivity of the pituitary. In both disorders, there is a lack of development of secondary sexual characteristics and some deficiency in libido and potency. Supernumerary testicles are extremely rare; when present, one or more of the supernumerary testicles usually shows some disorder such as torsion of the spermatic cord. Synorchism, the fusion of the two testicles into one mass, may occur within the scrotum or in the abdomen. Cryptorchidism, the most common anomaly of the spermatic tract, is the failure of one or both of the testes to descend spontaneously into the scrotum; hormonal treatment may be useful in correcting the condition, but usually surgery is necessary for correction.