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The mechanism whereby the testes descend into the scrotum is still unexplained. Some evidence is available to implicate hormonal factors — most likely androgenic hormones from the placenta, maternal or fetal adrenals, or the immature fetal testis and, possibly, maternal progesterone or gonadotropic hormones from the maternal pituitary.
Researchers have linked undescended testes to the development of the gubernaculum, a fibromuscular band that connects the testes to the scrotal floor. In the normal male fetus, testosterone stimulates the formation of the gubernaculum. This band probably helps pull the testes into the scrotum by shortening as the fetus grows. Thus, cryptorchidism may result from inadequate testosterone levels or a defect in the testes or the gubernaculum.
Because the testes normally descend into the scrotum during the eighth month of gestation, cryptorchidism most commonly affects premature neonates. (It occurs in 30% of premature male neonates but in only 3% to 4% of those born at term.) In about 80% of affected infants, the testes descend spontaneously during the first year; in the rest, the testes may descend later.
Source: Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition), 2005
The term 'prevalence' of Undescended testes usually refers to the estimated population of people who are managing Undescended testes at any given time. The term 'incidence' of Undescended testes refers to the annual diagnosis rate, or the number of new cases of Undescended testes diagnosed each year. Hence, these two statistics types can differ: a short-lived disease like flu can have high annual incidence but low prevalence, but a life-long disease like diabetes has a low annual incidence but high prevalence. For more information see about prevalence and incidence statistics.
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