Cryptorchidism is most commonly seen in which population?

Cryptorchidism, or undescended testes, is most commonly observed in premature infants. This condition arises when one or both of the testes fail to descend into the scrotum during fetal development, which is more prevalent in those born before 37 weeks of gestation. The incidence of cryptorchidism is significantly higher in preterm neonates compared to full-term infants, primarily due to the lack of sufficient hormonal and physical factors that facilitate testicular descent.

In full-term infants, the rate of cryptorchidism decreases significantly as the testicles are more likely to be descended at birth. Older children and adolescents typically present with issues related to previously undiagnosed cryptorchidism, but the condition itself originates during infancy, especially surrounding birth periods in those born prematurely. Therefore, understanding the relationship between gestational age and the risk of cryptorchidism highlights why premature infants are the most affected population.