Testicular volume of healthy term neonates: Determination of normative values among Igbo babies in South.Eastern Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Testicular volume (TV) in neonates has some predictive values of clinical importance. Establishing the normal values of TV among term newborn males of every population is important as  differences exist among different populations. Much is not known on TV among Igbo newborns.
Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the normative values of TV in apparently healthy term Igbo newborn males in Enugu, South.Eastern Nigeria and its relationship with gestational age (GA), birth weight (BW), and birth length (BL).
Subjects and Methods: This was a hospital.based, cross.sectional and descriptive study. Eight  hundred and eleven apparently healthy term Igbo male neonates within the first 3 days of life were  studied. The TV was measured with Prader Orchidometer (ZKL.135.H), ESP Model. Smoothed centiles (3.97th percentile values) for TV by GA were determined. Data were analyzed using the Statistical  Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 17.0 (Chicago). P < 0.05 were regarded as statistically  significant.
Results: The mean TV was 1.74 } 0.62 ml ranging from 1 to 3 ml. The TV increased with increasing GA (P = 0.00). Pearsonfs correlation test between TV and birth length (r = 0.301, P = 0.001), as well as with BW (r = 0.247, P = 0.001) were significant. A linear regression demonstrated correlation between TV and birth length (P = 0.0001, r2 = 0.091).
Conclusion: The mean TV among male Igbo newborn is 1.74 } 0.62 ml. Also, the first smoothed percentile values for TV by GA for Nigerian Igbo babies is created.

Key words: Gestational age, Igbo babies, smoothed percentile, testicular volume