Undescended testicles

Chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) may be involved since it has recently been shown (Table 18) that its administration for therapeutic purposes to newborn male infants with undescended testicles produces a selective increase in the excretion of DHA with no apparent effect upon the excretion of other steroids. It is possible that the DHA is produced by stimulation of the testes. A total of 7 babies was studied, but stimulation was obained only in the 4 whose results are given in Table 18. 

As the name suggests, these chemicals cause changes in the endocrine system of humans and animals. The specific human effects include low sperm counts, incidence of undescended testicles, and increased susceptibiUty to testicular and prostrate cancer. 

Scientists at the John Duckett Center for Pediatric Urology, a research arm of the Children s Hospital of Philadelphia, are studying cryptorchidism (undescended testicles) from three angles analysis of data collected from patients in whom this condition was surgically corrected, analysis of seminal parameters found in these patients, and gene analysis related to the etiology of cryptorchidism and the related potential infertility. 

In a study of mother-son pairs from Denmark and Finland, elevated PBDE levels in breast milk were positively associated with cryptorchidism (undescended testicles) in boys (Main et al. 2007). The PBDE levels associated with cryptorchidism were also positively correlated with semm LH concentrations in the infants. Akutsu et al. (2008) reported that elevated blood levels of BDE-153 correlated with decreased sperm count and decreased testes size. 

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