Overall, the incidence is now believed to be about 1 in 100 male babies. The less common but more severe forms of hypospadias, in which the urethral opening is located on the penile shaft or in the perineum, may interfere with normal urination in the usual male standing position and may interfere with fertility. These more severe cases are usually corrected early in childhood to avoid social embarrassment and psychologic trauma. The ideal age for repair is before the age of 18 months. Routine newborn circumcision should be avoided, as the foreskin is often essential for repair later in life.
Inguinal hernias are also common.
Newborns with hypospadias and undescended testicles should be evaluated for the possibility of hormonal abnormalities. The incidence of other abnormalities of the genitourinary tract in boys with hypospadias is low, and with the probable exception of the most severe cases of hypospadias, xray studies of the urinary tract are usually not justified.