The appearance of external genital organs and anogenital distance in male fetal cadavers.

Abstract

This study aimed to determine the normal size of the male external genital organs and anogenital distance in human fetuses during the fetal period through the anatomic morphometric method. The study was performed on 104 spontaneously aborted human male fetuses aged between 10 and 39 weeks of gestation. Fetuses were divided into groups according to gestational weeks, months, and trimesters. Parameters belonging to the male external genital organs were measured, including penile length and width, transverse scrotal diameter, anterior-posterior scrotal diameter, the distance from the anterior and posterior aspect of the penis to the center of the anus, and the anogenital distance. The mean of each parameter was computed by gestational weeks, months, and trimester groups, and data were presented as mean ± standard deviation. The mean of each parameter increased with gestational age, and statistically significant differences were observed between trimester groups. A high correlation was also determined between gestational age and the parameters measured.