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Navigate: FAQ Home Page > Male -- Penis/testicles/scrotom > Urinary opening
Posted on: 01/29/2007
Question
My urinary opening is not located at the tip, opens on underneath side, about middle, what is this called and how unusual is this?
Answer
This is called hypospadias, and is relatively common.
Long before a male baby is born, the urethral opening starts out between the legs, just like a female. As the fetus grows, the urethra lengthens until it reaches the tip of the penis. If the lengthening of the urethra stops before it reaches the tip, the result is hypospadias. Often the degree of hypospadias is not severe and doesn't need to be fixed. But if the opening is relatively far up the shaft, then it can cause problems later in life, such as more difficulty fathering a child. I would recommend that you see a Urologist just to check it out.