Newborn Babies' (Not So Perfect) Genitalia

More than a few parents have been downright alarmed by their first encounter with their baby's genitals. The vulva of a female newborn and the scrotal sac and testes of a male newborn may appear large and swollen due to both the rush of hormones just prior to the birth and the extra fluid accumulated during the birth. What's more, these body parts may appear red and inflamed. While swelling of the vulva disappears within the first week of life, extra fluid in the scrotal sac may last for weeks or months, leaving a newborn baby boy with a disproportionately large scrotum during the early months of his life. Here are some other things you need to know about your baby's genitals.

Some baby girls experience some menstrual bleeding during the first week of life. This is the result of the transfer of maternal hormones at the time of birth.

Approximately 1% of baby boys are born with one or more undescended testicles. (The testicles develop in the abdomen, descending into the scrotum just before a full-term birth, but, in some cases, the testicles have not yet descended by the time the baby is born.) It may be possible for the doctor to gently manipulate the undescended testicles into their proper position, but sometimes the testicles go back up into the abdomen. While it's possible for the doctor to reposition them manually, it's also very likely that they'll eventually descend on their own. In other cases, drug therapy or surgery will be required to reposition the testicles.

Some boys are born with a condition called phimosis (tight foreskin), in which the penis and foreskin are fused together. Sometimes the problem resolves itself over time. In other cases, the application of a steroid cream or circumcision may be required. (You don't have to have your son circumcised right away, but at some point he might need to have this operation.)