Prevalence of Cryptorchidism Among Bulgarian Boys

BACKGROUND Cryptorchidism is the most common congenital defect of the male urogenital system. It may be an important cause for male infertility. The data about its prevalence in South-eastern European countries and especially for the Balkan region are still incomplete. OBJECTIVE The aim of the present study was to establish the prevalence of the abnormality in the Bulgarian population living in the different areas of the country. METHODS In a population-based cross-sectional study in Bulgaria 6200 Caucasian boys (aged under 1 year to 19 years) from five regions of the country were included. One physician examined all children in order to reduce the inter-observer error. RESULTS The prevalence of cryptorchidism was 1.52% for the total group. It was 3.2% for boys under one year of age, 2.1% for those between one and ten years and dropped significantly in older boys (0.6%). No regional or seasonal trends were established. CONCLUSIONS Our study suggests a relatively higher prevalence of cryptorchidism in Bulgaria for children younger than one year of age, while the overall prevalence is comparable to those reported for other countries. The prevalence of cryptorchidism did not differ significantly from the prevalence reported thirty years ago.