Penile size in term newborns in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

To determine the normative value of stretched penile length (SPL) for Ethiopian newborns and to set a cut-off point for micropenis.A total of 221 term newborns were included in the study. Stretched penile length was measured in the first 72 h of postnatal age in neonates with a gestational age of 37-42 completed weeks. SPL -2 SD was taken as micropenis in this study.The minimum and maximum penile length were 2.5 cm and 5 cm, respectively, with a mean ± SD of 3.28 ± 0.42. SPL at -2 SD and +2 SD were 2.43 and 4.12 cm respectively. A significant correlation was observed between penile length and body length (p = 0.005). Neonates born via instrumental delivery had larger SPL compared to those who were delivered by caesarean section (p = 0.01) or by vaginal delivery (p = 0.006).The mean stretched penile length in our study mirrors findings from other African studies. SPL 2.43 cm can be considered as micropenis in our setting. Therefore, routine genital examination and interpretation at birth is crucial to identify micropenis which might herald a serious underlying condition that needs further investigation.